Indian Agriculture 105 – International Cooperation with FAO, WFP and other MoUs

This is one of the most practical post of this series. The core focus of this write up is to make sure you are ready for any awkward IAS Prelims question that may come your way in 2017 (& beyond).

The mandate of International Cooperation Division is to foster mutually beneficial partnerships with other countries of the world in a multilateral as well as bilateral format.

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#1. FAO & India

India has been availing assistance from the FAO from time to time in the form of training, consultancy services, equipments and material in the field of agriculture and allied sectors under its technical cooperation programme(TCP).

Some of the major programs currently being implemented by FAO in India:

A. India’s contribution to the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem (BOBLME)/ Fishery Survey of India. India is a signatory to the umbrella BOBLME Project. India has shown its commitment to the BOBLME Project by providing its annual cash contribution.

B. Strengthening Agriculture Market Information System (AMIS) globally using innovative methods and digital technology. The project is running in India, Bangladesh and Nigeria with financial assistance from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and technical assistance of FAO.

C. Preparations for the Development of Farmer Field and Water Schools Programmes under the World Bank Assisted U ar Pradesh Water Sector Restructuring Project

D. Enhancing Understanding and Implementation of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture in Asia: The project with a total budget of US$ 435,000 aims to support 15 Asian countries including India. The project started in July, 2012 for three years duration.

#2. World Food Programme (W F P )

The World Food Programme (WFP) was set up in 1963 jointly by the United Nations and Food & Agriculture Organization (UN/ FAO).

  • India is the member of WFP since its inception.
  • It seeks to provide emergency feeding in places facing acute food insecurity due to natural calamities and man-made causes.

#3. Indo-US Cooperation

National Institute of Plant Health Management (NIPHM), Hyderabad has been collaborating with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for training purposes and capacity building programmes.

#4. World Bank Assisted Projects

There are twelve World Bank assisted Projects which are being implemented through this Department. These projects are as under (they are all state specific):

(i)  Assam Agricultural Competitiveness Project (AACP);

(ii)  Additional financing for Assam Agricultural Competitiveness Project;

(iii)  National Agricultural Innovation Project;

(iv)  National Dairy Support Project;

(v)  Himachal Pradesh Mid-Himalayan Watershed Development;

(vi)  Additional financing for Himachal Pradesh Mid-Himalayan Watershed Development;

(vii)  Karnataka Community Based Tank Management;

(viii)  Uttar Pradesh Sodic Land Reclamation Project-III;

(ix)  Maharashtra Agricultural Competiveness Project (MACP);

(x)  Rajasthan Agricultural Competiveness Project (RACP);

#5. India-Africa Agribusiness Forum

Together with FICCI, the Ministry successfully organized the India-Africa Agribusiness Forum at New Delhi on 10-11 February, 2016 in which several Agriculture Ministers, diplomats, officials and private sector representatives from Africa and India participated.

#6. Delhi Declaration on Agrobiodiversity Management

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  • The 1st International Agrobiodiversity Congress held in New Delhi from 6th to 9th November, 2016 was attended by 900 participants from 60 countries.
  • The UN is urged to consider declaring soon a ‘Year of Agrobiodiversity’ to draw worldwide attention and to catalyze urgent action.
  • A call upon nations to accord top priority to the agrobiodiversity conservation and their sustainable use towards achieving targets of SDGs relating to poverty alleviation, food and nutritional security, good health, gender equity and partnership.

References: Apart from extensive research around news articles, the mainstay of this series is the annual report of the Ministry of Agriculture to the GOI –Click to download a copy

All articles in this series are listed here – First timers to IAS Prep? Prepare Indian Agriculture for GS Mains with me!

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