Having successfully completed his innings as Counsellor MASHAV Agriculture & Water, heading the Agriculture and Water segments at the embassy of Israel in India & Sri-Lanka, Dan Alluf is all set to head back home to Israel.
Specialising in Drip-irrigation and Water Management, he was team leader of the Agriculture Israel-India Government-to-Government cooperation, the “Indo-Israel Agricultural Project” (IIAP) and the “Indo-Israel Villages of Excellence” (IIVOE) in cooperation with MIDH GoI and state governments.
He has also leading the “India-Israel Bundelkhand Water Project”. In cooperation with Govt. of India, Uttar Pradesh Govt. & Jal Shakti, Government of India under which Israel will develop 30 Indian villages into ideal agricultural villages, offering to increase farm productivity and increase the farmers’ income. Besides, Israel has also proposed to provide its technology and remedies to overcome the crisis in Bundelkhand, which has been facing water shortage for years.
The Indo-Israeli Agricultural Cooperation Project started in 2008 following the signing of a three-year Action Plan based on a Government-to-Government Agreement. Both started an agricultural fund worth $50 million that focused on dairy, farming technology and micro-irrigation.
Within this framework, the State of Israel was requested to share best-practices and knowhow, and provide capacity building through professional training programs to be conducted both in Israel and in India.
To achieve the stated goals of the cooperation agreement, it was decided to establish “Agricultural Centres of Excellence,” funded by both the Federal Government NHM and by individual State Governments, that are also responsible to allocate land and professional manpower.
The Centres of Excellence provide a suitable platform for a rapid transfer of technology to the farmers. Knowhow and new agricultural technologies such as protected cultivation, drip irrigation and fertigation are demonstrated at the centres with the aim to be adopted by the farmers. This is done to increase their yields and productivity and also to improve the quality of produce. This can result in a positive impact on the income of the farmers and market prices, as well as introducing new varieties.
The Centres of Excellence are jointly set up according to the requirements and needs of the Indian Government. They address both small and large farm holders thus offering a wide range of agricultural practices – from hi-tech poly-houses to walking tunnels and net houses, in order to enable all to benefit from the new technologies.
During the establishment and operation of those centres, the technologies and methods are adapted to the local conditions and requirements of the farmers. The basic concept of the centres is based on a triangular format: Applied Research, SMS (Subject Matter Specialist) Field Extension Officer and the Progressive Farmer.
According to Alluf, who is preparing to return to Israel after completing his tenure in India, Israel has now decided to create a Village of Excellence, adding to the strong agricultural partnership between the two countries. Under this, ideal villages will be developed for crop production in many parts of India between 2021 and 2023. This will include 30 villages in Haryana and five villages in Uttar Pradesh.
Alluf said the emphasis in each of these model villages will be on strengthening agricultural infrastructure, capacity expansion and direct access to markets. This will bring in a system for more agricultural production, from market linkage to processing, which will increase the farmers’ income. Through these, a traditional farm will be made into an active farming area where higher production will be possible using various methods. Along with this, the entire value chain associated with it will also be ready.
Source: Embassy Of Israel In India
