Indian farmers will have a chance to learn to optimise crop production from Israeli agriculture experts who will come down to the country to guide them.
Agritech Israel international agricultural exhibition, which is held once every three years, has seen huge participation of farmers from India.
The 20th year fair was held in Tel Aviv recently. A large number of Indian farmers from different parts of the country and several experts, scientists, bureaucrats and Agriculture Ministers of Haryana and Andhra Pradesh attended the fair.
Two decades
After two decades of diplomatic goodwill, both the countries have mutually decided to help each other in agriculture and will set up a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for agriculture in several states of India.
“Such CoEs have already been set up in many states in India. This year, we are eyeing a few more states, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Punjab among others, where we want to set up centres of excellence in agriculture technology,” said Mrs. Vani Rao, counsellor, embassy of India in Israel in an informal chat with several Indian journalists who were invited to the fair.
Exchange programme
This Indo-Israel institute also has an exchange programme, under which Israeli experts will come to Gujarat to guide farmers on sowing, cultivation, harvesting and post-harvesting processes, according to her.
India accounts for huge wastage in agriculture as well. The country needs to learn and improve on post-harvest management, cold storage technology, packaging and dairy products.
“In coming years, India will experience huge scarcity of water. The technology used in Israel on recycling sewage water for agriculture can help India save water as well as improve overall productivity,” says Mrs. Rao.
More than 2,000 farmers from India went to Israel to see and adopt new agriculture technology.
In September 2012, Agritech Israel is being planned to be held at Gandhinagar in association with the Gujarat government
For details visit website: www.indembassy.co.il or email Mrs. Vani Rao at counspol@indembassy.co.il
Israel Agriculture including horticulture and animal husbandry is worth visiting.In fact many
of our farmers have visited farms in Israel.High density orcharding,protected
cultivation,fertigation and water management,scientific nursery raising,harvesting,post
harvest handling,packing houses,auction centres,use of ICT in agriculture,Mosad system of
farming,waste recycling,value addition to raw products etc are worth observing.Many need
Indianisation to suit to our soil,water and climatic conditions.Infrastructure in Indian farming
villages needs to be improved as in Israel.The extension of agriculture in Israel is mostly
privatized and very effective.Consultants are available for planning and decision
making.Establishment of centres of excellence in several states of India is a wellcome
step.India can adopt what is good for our farmers.High Density Orcharding extended to
guava is a success but in Mango has not been successful.Fertigation is not economical as
inputs are costly.
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