India and Netherlands Strengthen Agricultural Ties with New Collaborative Initiatives

The Dutch Vice Minister of Agriculture, Jan-Kees Goet, met with Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi to strengthen agricultural cooperation. The visit on November 14, 2024, highlighted shared priorities in agriculture and explored avenues for advancing cooperation between India and the Netherlands in various agricultural domains.  

During the discussions, Dr. Chaturvedi highlighted India’s commitment to diversifying its agricultural sector and highlighted ongoing efforts to support small and marginal farmers. He noted the importance of improving post-harvest management, expanding access to high-quality seeds, and ensuring the availability of improved planting materials.

Dr. Chaturvedi also underscored the progress made in establishing Centers of Excellence (CoEs) across India, with support from the Netherlands. Currently, around 25,000 Indian farmers have received training through these centers, contributing to agricultural innovation and skills development. The goal is to increase the CoEs to 25 by 2025, with continued funding under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) to support state-level agricultural initiatives.

The Vice-Minister of Agriculture from the Netherlands commended the CoEs as a successful model of international cooperation and affirmed his country’s interest in expanding this partnership. He shared insights into the Netherlands' new priorities, particularly in food security and farmers' welfare, and expressed interest in helping establish additional CoEs in India. Both leaders also explored joint initiatives in agricultural mechanization, vocational training for farmer producer organizations, and supporting agri-startups through financing opportunities.

Further discussions aimed at launching a "clean plant program" and utilizing the Netherlands’ expertise in creating collaborative agricultural ecosystems that integrate the public and private sectors. These initiatives, they agreed, would help India address climate challenges, improve seed quality, and provide farmers with diverse crop choices.

The meeting included notable attendees, such as Indian officials Additional Secretaries Pramod Kumar Mehereda and Shubha Thakur, alongside Dutch dignitaries including Ambassador Marisa Gerards, the Netherlands’ Agriculture Counsellor, and representatives from ICAR and SeedNL.