ICAR signs MoU with NABARD

13^th December, 2019, New Delhi

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi today.

Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR) and Shri Harsh Kumar Bhanwala, Chairman, NABARD signed the MoU on the behalf of their respective organizations.

Dr. Mohapatra emphasized on providing the financial support to the young agri-entrepreneurs with the help of NABARD. He also accentuated on the capacity building of the farmers of the country.

Shri Bhanwala stressed on the need of technological empowerment of women farmers.

As per the MoU, both the organizations will work on the common interest in the specific area to promote the sustainable agriculture and climate resilient farming systems.

Both the organizations will facilitate the action research (the research carried out with the active participation of farmers to provide solutions for the challenges being faced by them) and up-scaling of the various technologies and innovative farmer models developed by the ICAR that includes the successful climate resilient practices, models and integrated and hi-tech farming practices in a participatory model through adoptive research on watershed platform.

The initiative will strengthen the competence of channel partners under the promotional and developmental programmes of NABARD technology transfer under the climate resilient agriculture, contingency and adaptation planning.

The ICAR will also help in the impact evaluation of the NABARD assisted projects, DPR preparation for the climate change projects, farm mechanization, Agri-Incubation Centres / FPOs and resource conservation, etc.

The MoU is for taking up site-specific transfer of technologies under sustainable agriculture, integrated farming system, crop intensification, agro-forestry, plantation and horticulture, animal sciences, agri-engineering, etc., including post-harvest technologies. Further, the ICAR through its large network will support the training and capacity building of channel partners and NABARD Officers.

Shri Sushil Kumar, Additional Secretary (DARE) & Secretary (ICAR) also spoke on the occasion.

The senior officials of both the organizations were present during the occasion.

(Source: ICAR-Directorate of Knowledge Management in Agriculture, New Delhi)