Lok Sabha Question No. 2687 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-01
Subject: Agreement with Foreign Countries in Agriculture
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: SUNIL KUMAR SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2687

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 1 ST  AUGUST, 2017

## AGREEMENT WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES IN AGRICULTURE

## 2687.     SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  recently  signed  any  agreement  with  foreign  countries including Israel to upheave insulate agriculture from loss and increase production of crop;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, country-wise;
- (c) whether any time limit has been fixed to implement the above mentioned  agreement;
- (d) whether  Centre  of  Excellence  (CoE)  have  been  set  up  in  collaboration  with  Israel  in many states in the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the Government proposes to set up CoE in Bihar and if so, the details thereof and the effective steps being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  S.S. AHLUWALIA)

- (a) to (c): Yes, Madam.   During last three years, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has signed 15 MoUs/Agreements with foreign countries for cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors.  As a part of implementation of the Agreement signed with Israel on 24.12.1993, a Work Program, titled 'India-Israel Development Cooperation' for the years 2018-2020 have been signed on 5.07.2017.   Details of MoUs/Agreements signed during last three years, are as under:

| Year            | Country(s)                                                 |
|-----------------|------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2014            | Morocco, Vietnam.                                          |
| 2015            | Mongolia.                                                  |
| 2016            | Armenia, Madagascar, Lithuania, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Brazil. |
| 2017(till date) | UAE, Kenya, Portugal, Mauritius, Poland, Palestine.        |

The  areas  for  cooperation  in  these  MoUs/Agreements  inter-alia  include  cooperation  in research and development, increasing productivity, post-harvest management, value addition/food processing, plant protection, animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries, enhancing trade  and  mutual  exchange,  reciprocal  visits  of  scientists,  mutual  exchange  of  technical expertise, exchange of Germ-plasm, transfer of technology, setting up of centers of excellence in different fields to demonstrate new technologies etc.

(d): Under the Agreement with Israel, 27 Centers of Excellence (CoEs) for fruits, vegetables, flowers,  date  palms  and  brackish  water  have  been  sanctioned  in  various  states  of  India  viz. Haryana,  Maharashtra,  Gujarat,  Punjab,  Rajasthan,  Karnataka,  Bihar,  Tamil  Nadu,  Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Mizoram.  Out of these, 19 CoEs have been completed/ commissioned and are providing planting material and training to farmers.

(e): Out of the 27 CoEs mentioned above, CoE for Mango & Lichi at Vaishali and CoE for vegetable at Chandi, Nalanda are located in the State of Bihar.

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