Three technological cooperation agreements will be signed between Indian and the US during US President Barack Obama’s visit here, all of which are expected to give the much-needed boost to Indian agriculture.
This, in turn, is expected to help India address its food security concerns better.
The three agreements will include projects that will help facilitate improved prediction of the Indian monsoon on which large swathes of agricultual land are so heavily dependent, floods as well as crop weather prediction through remote sensing.
An memorandum of understanding had been signed between the two countries earlier in these three technical areas which shall now be convened into agreements. Sources said after the MoU, the government of India had formed three working groups on food security, market access and weather forecasting.
The specific projects to be signed are the result of consultations Indian scientists have had with their American counterparts to coincide with President Obama’s first visit to India.
Another benefit would come through the trilateral agreements in the field of agriculture, which will allow India to partner with the US and play a role in developing agri-related activities in the African nations.
Agriculture secretary P.K. Basu told this newspaper on Friday, “Around 60 per cent of our agriculture is rain-fed. Technical cooperation with the US will help predict the complex Indian monsoon better and thus improve crop management.” He further said that improved prediction models with the help of US technology will come in handy in reducing crop damage.
A massive drought in 2008, which affected more than half the country, had dented the country’s food production targets by 16 million tonnes. This year severe floods in many states affected the sowing of Kharif crop.
Sources said the department of economic affairs under the finance ministry and USAID have already done the spade-work for Indo-US technology cooperation in areas like crop development besides crop extension services and agronomic models.
Sources said the two countries are also exploring ways to enhance exchange of commodities. On Friday, US under secretary in the department of agriculture, J. Miller held detailed discussions with Indian officials to settle sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) issues,(related to pests and diseases in plants and fruits) required for trading of agricultural produce.