The government of Maharashtra and a consortium led by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for development of agriculture in the drought-prone dry lands of Vidarbha region.
The project will benefit an estimated 55,000 farmer families directly and over 2 lakh families indirectly through a wider spill-over effect leading to doubling of family incomes over the next five years, a release said.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, ICRISAT DDG Peter Carberry and ICRISAT Development Center Director Suhas Wani during the ongoing ‘Magnetic Maharashtra: Convergence 2018’ event in Mumbai.
“The project is driven by a partnership with research institutions, agricultural universities, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, non-governmental organisations, farmer organisations and private companies to bring holistic, participatory science-based solutions and technologies to the doorsteps of the farmers,” said Mr. Wani.
The project will target drought-prone farming communities of Vidarbha region through science-led, multi-stakeholder and market-oriented agriculture development.
The project includes - a twin-pronged approach involving scaling up of proven technologies and climate-resilient practices in 11 districts, focus on integrated livelihood approach in the selected districts, use of new science tools like satellites, weather forecasting, crop and water balance simulation models and IT-based solutions to help farmers make climate-smart decisions for better results.
It will also target agro-ecozone based land use planning and market-led crop diversification including high-value crops to benefit farmers through a value chain approach and put emphasis on profitability, value addition and linking farmers to markets directly for enhanced income, improved family nutrition, and sustainable development.
