Three agri centres of excellence in Israel collaboration inaugurated in State

Bengaluru: For taking forward Israeli technologies in the field of horticulture, Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa and Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, jointly inaugurated three Centers of Excellence (COEs) established under Indo-Israel Agricultural Project (IIAP) on Wednesday.

Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) Division of Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, and MASHAV - Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation - are leading Israel's largest G2G cooperation, with 29 operational Centers of Excellence (COEs) across India in 12 States, implementing advanced Israeli agro-technology tailored for local conditions.

Out of these 29 fully functional COEs, three are in Karnataka, viz., COE Kolar for Mango, COE Bagalkot for Pomegranate and COE Dharwad for Vegetables. COE is an advanced & intensive agricultural farm that generates knowledge, demonstrates best practices and trains farmers based on Israeli novel agro-technology tailored for the local conditions. The newly inaugurated CoEs will help farmers in Karnataka to choose and adopt the technology that suits them best, with the goal of doubling their income.

The Centre of Excellence for Pomegranate in Bagalkot will introduce irrigation management based on Precision Agriculture by satellite imaging, advanced fertigation (specialty fertilizers applied through drip irrigation) and beneficial demonstration of super Bhagwa canopy management techniques.

The Centre of Excellence for Mango in Kolar will generate end-to-end best cultivation practices protocols, including new varieties of Israeli rootstocks based on advanced and commercial hi-tech nursery management. It will also define canopy management guidelines for both rejuvenation of traditional trees and planting of new intensive young orchards. It will implement drip irrigation and fertigation systems that will result in optimal water use, both in efficiency and in productivity.

Speaking at the event, CM B.S. Yediyurappa, said "there is a lot of scope for adoption of new technologies in crop production and post-harvest management to increase the production and productivity of the horticulture produce in Karnataka. He thanked the Government of India and Israel for providing financial and technical assistance for establishment of these Centers of Excellence (COEs) under Indo-Israel Agricultural Project (IIAP) in Karnataka to transfer the innovative technologies for improving production, productivity and quality of horticulture produce in turn to achieve sustainability and improve economic status of the farmers".

The Centre of Excellence for Vegetables in Dharwad will produce high-quality seedlings, demonstrate best practices in a range of green-house structures with Israeli standards, introduce Israeli vegetable varieties, and generate nematode solutions.

In addition, it has been agreed to take forward the India- Israel Development Cooperation in Agriculture to establish Indo- Israel Villages of Excellence (IIVOE) with the aim to create a model ecosystem in agriculture. This initiative will be implemented in eight states across India of which, Karnataka will be a leading state and will implement it in 10 villages linked to the Bagalkot & Kolar Centres of Excellence.

"These Centers will help the farming community of Karnataka to get access to the latest innovative Israeli technologies and adopt them to increase production and productivity which will help in increasing the farmers income. These COEs have the capacity of 50,000 grafts production and 25 lakh vegetables seedlings production annually. About 20,000 farmers have visited these COEs to gain knowledge about the modern cultivation practices in horticulture" said Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.

The IIVOE program will focus on establishing modern agriculture infrastructure, support the farmers with capacity building activities, and enhance market linkage to optimize the profitability of individual farmers.

Pralhad Venkatesh Joshi, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines, Government of India said, "The establishment of Centre of Excellence in Dharwad and other two districts would help the farming community to get high quality seedlings and adopt advanced technologies in precision farming in Green-House with automation irrigation with fertigation. This in turn increases the productivity and quality of Horticulture produce which fetch more value in the market.

Therefore farmers will get more income per unit area".

Shankar, Minister of Horticulture and Sericulture, Government of Karnataka said, "To provide the latest technologies to the farmers, Government of India in collaboration with State of Israel has helped in establishment of these Centers of Excellence for Mango in Kolar, Pomegranate in Bagalkot and Vegetables in Dharwad under the Indo Israel Agriculture Project (IIAP). Karnataka farmers are very progressive to adopt innovative technologies developed by these centres. Ensuring increase in production, productivity by reducing input cost in turn increasing farmer's income".

The inauguration ceremony was also attended by many Central and State officials.