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Modi Announces 'Villages of Excellence' to Boost India-Israel Farm Tech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his state visit to Israel, announced the creation of "Villages of Excellence" to deepen agricultural cooperation. This initiative aims to expand the reach of successful Israeli agri-technology from existing Centres of Excellence directly to grassroots villages. The partnership also includes establishing an India-Israel Innovation Centre for Agriculture and an Academic Forum to connect youth and researchers. These steps mark a significant push to strengthen bilateral ties in agriculture, innovation, and mobility.

Key Points: India-Israel Launch Villages of Excellence for Agriculture

  • New Villages of Excellence announced
  • Expanding Centres of Excellence to 100
  • India-Israel Innovation Centre for Agriculture
  • Strengthening people-to-people ties
3 min read

PM Modi announces 'Villages of Excellence' to further India-Israel agricultural cooperation

PM Modi announces new Villages of Excellence with Israel to bring advanced agricultural technology to Indian farmers, boosting income and productivity.

"Israeli technology will reach every village in India and will greatly increase the income and productivity of lakhs of farmers. - PM Narendra Modi"

Jerusalem, February 26

On the back of the success of the Centres of Excellence established with Israeli cooperation across India for strengthening the agricultural sector, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced the creation of "Villages of Excellence" to further deepen agricultural cooperation between the two countries.

Speaking during joint press statement with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu as part of his two-day state visit to the country, PM Modi said agricultural cooperation has been one of the most successful pillars of the bilateral relationship and will now be given a futuristic direction.

"There has been a long and successful history of agricultural cooperation between the two countries. Today, we have resolved to give this cooperation a futuristic direction. The Centres of Excellence established in India with the cooperation of Israel are excellent examples of our friendship. Seeing their success, we have set a target to increase their number to 100," he said.

Moving a step further, the Prime Minister announced the development of "Villages of Excellence", aimed at expanding the benefits of Israeli agricultural technology to the grassroots level.

"With this, Israeli technology will reach every village in India and will greatly increase the income and productivity of lakhs of farmers. Together, we will also develop future-ready farming solutions. The establishment of the India-Israel Innovation Centre for Agriculture in India will provide a strong base for this cooperation," he added.

The Indo-Israel Centres of Excellence (CoE) are high-tech, intensive agricultural hubs established to facilitate the transfer of Israeli agri-technologies adapted to local conditions. These centres are designed to support farmers by focusing on select priority crops.

Each CoE includes components such as advanced nursery management, improved cultivation practices, and efficient irrigation and fertigation systems.

PM Modi also highlighted the strong people-to-people ties between the two nations, describing them as a key pillar of bilateral relations.

Referring to the India-Israel Manpower Mobility Agreement signed in 2023, he said India has made an important contribution to Israel's construction and caregiver sectors.

"Indian workers have earned trust through their hard work, commitment, and skills. I am happy that the expansion of this cooperation is also being done in areas like commerce and services," he noted.

Emphasising the importance of connecting youth and innovators, the Prime Minister announced the establishment of the India-Israel Academic Forum to strengthen collaboration among students, researchers and innovators from both countries.

The announcements mark a renewed push to deepen India-Israel cooperation in agriculture, innovation, mobility and education.

The current state-visit marks the second time PM Modi has travelled to Israel during his tenure, following his historic inaugural trip in 2017.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As someone who follows agricultural tech, Israel's drip irrigation and water management techniques are world-class. If this knowledge reaches every village, it could be a game-changer for water-scarce regions in India. Hope the implementation is as robust as the announcement.
P
Priya S
My uncle is a farmer in Maharashtra. He visited a Centre of Excellence last year and came back so inspired. He implemented some polyhouse techniques on a small scale and his yield improved. "Villages of Excellence" sounds promising, but the key will be training and sustained support for farmers.
R
Rohit P
Good step forward. However, I hope this partnership also focuses on making the technology affordable for the average farmer. High-tech solutions are great, but if the cost is too high, only large farmers will benefit. The "grassroots" goal must be kept in mind.
K
Karthik V
The Academic Forum is a brilliant idea! Connecting our young researchers and innovators with Israeli counterparts can spark so much innovation in agri-tech. This is a long-term investment in our human capital. Future-ready farming needs future-ready minds.
M
Michael C
It's impressive to see India strategically leveraging global partnerships for sectoral development. The focus on agriculture, a sector that employs nearly half the population, is smart. Increasing farmer income is crucial for the overall economy.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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