Agri Secretary and UNDP Delegation Discuss Focus on Risk Resilience, Digital Agriculture, and Climate-Smart Farming

Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (DA&FW), met with a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) delegation, led by Kanni Wignaraja, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, at Krishi Bhawan on October 07, 2024. The meeting focused on expanding ongoing partnerships between the Ministry and UNDP, particularly in the areas of agricultural insurance and credit, aimed at boosting risk resilience in India’s agriculture sector.

The collaboration, initially launched in 2018, was renewed for another four years in 2023, with the goal of continuing progress until 2026. Key discussions during the meeting centered on exploring new opportunities for joint efforts between UNDP and other relevant departments within the Ministry.

Dr. Chaturvedi outlined the Indian government’s strategic priorities in agriculture, with special emphasis on achieving self-sufficiency in oilseeds and pulses, promoting the Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM), advancing climate-resilient farming practices, and enhancing crop insurance and credit systems for farmers. He underscored the success of India’s flagship program, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), now recognized as the world’s largest crop insurance initiative. The scheme has significantly expanded its reach in terms of farmer participation and land coverage, drawing interest from other nations seeking to replicate India's model.

In response, Kanni Wignaraja expressed UNDP's enthusiasm for deepening cooperation, particularly in areas like the Food and Agriculture Commodity System (FACS), value chain development for oilseeds, pulses, and millets, and climate-resilient agriculture. She also highlighted solar storage solutions as a potential area of focus, praising India’s leadership in sharing knowledge and promoting South-South cooperation, particularly in crop insurance and agricultural credit systems.

Dr. Chaturvedi emphasized future collaborative opportunities, including the integration of digital technologies under the Digital Agriculture Mission within the PMFBY framework, the expansion of climate-resilient agricultural practices, and efforts to strengthen millet value chains.

Senior officers from DA&FW were present at the meeting, as was Dr. P.K. Meherda, Additional Secretary. The UNDP team included Angela Lusigi, UNDP India’s Resident Representative, and Isabelle Tschan, Deputy Resident Representative. Wignaraja concluded by thanking Dr. Chaturvedi for the productive discussions and reaffirmed UNDP's commitment to supporting India’s agricultural objectives, including poverty reduction, inclusive governance, and sustainable development.

A delegation led by Ms. @kanniwignaraja , Regional Director for UNDP Asia and the Pacific, had a highly productive discussion with Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, and his team. The focus was on enhancing financial… pic.twitter.com/6nDmt3JyC3
— Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (@pmfby) October 8, 2024