Agricultural officers from seven different Indian states are visiting Israel for a 15-day tour to learn about new approaches and technologies in the sector that can add value to farmers. According to a press release, 18 agricultural officers from Indo-Israel Centers of Excellence (CoE) are participating in a comprehensive state course titled "Managing Centers of Excellence: Developing Value for Farmers," which is being organized by Mashav Agricultural Training Centre (MATC) in Israel as part of the Indo-Israel Agricultural Project (IIAP).
Objectives of Course
The course aims to introduce agricultural officers from partner countries to the organization, management, and challenges of Israel's unique regional agricultural R&D model.
"The course's goal is to provide a framework for discussion and analysis of the CoEs' current work plans. It will also assess the feasibility of implementing and adapting new strategies, approaches, and technologies while taking into account the needs and challenges of the agricultural sector "According to the press release
Since their arrival on March 29th, the participants have been visiting model CoEs in Israel and learning more about irrigation, fertigation, and advanced agricultural technologies. Yair Eshel, Israel's Agricultural Attache in New Delhi, is leading the delegation.
"It's encouraging to see Indian officers in Israel learning about Israeli agricultural technology. This course will provide a long-term platform for disseminating Israel's advanced agricultural knowledge. We hope to continue holding many such courses in the future that will benefit Indian farmers," he stated.
MASHAV, Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation, in collaboration with the Foreign Ministry, aims to provide developing countries with the best of Israel's experience in development and planning and has been an important arm of the ministry's diplomatic outreach programme.
"As we celebrate 30 years of India-Israel diplomatic relations, we are pleased to see the resumption of physical activities of Indian officers in Israel in the field of agriculture after a long absence due to the pandemic," said Rony Yedidia Clein, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Israeli Embassy in India, according to the release.
"The exchange of agricultural technologies is an important component of Israel and India's partnership. This will give both countries more opportunities to strengthen their bilateral relations,” she continued.
The delegation, which includes representatives from Haryana, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Mizoram, will finish the training programme on April 12. In India, there are currently 29 fully operational Centres of Excellence that provide critical information on emerging agricultural technologies to help farmers increase their yield.
