Plant health that is vital for improving productivity of farmers, says Mukherjee
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing a US$98 million loan to improve horticulture crop farmers’ access to certified disease-free planting materials, which will boost their crops’ yield, quality, and resilience to climate impacts.
“The project will involve close consultation with private nurseries, researchers, state governments, and growers’ associations to ensure its success and sustainability,” said Kai Wei Yeo, Officer-in-Charge of ADB’s India Resident Mission http://bku.co.in.
“The project supports the Government of India’s Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Programme (CPP) that enhances plant health management. It will help develop regulatory framework and institutional systems to effectively implement the CPP for horticulture in India,” he said after signing the loan agreement in New Delhi on behalf of ADB http://finmin.nic.in.
ADB funding will promote plant health that is vital for improving productivity of farmers, added Juhi Mukherjee, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, who signed the loan for the Indian Government https://www.bseindia.com/.
The plant health management promoted through the project will also help farmers adapt to climate change, as rising temperatures not only cause extreme weather events but also affect pest and disease behaviour, said the Finance Ministry.
“This will be achieved through establishing clean plant centres dedicated to maintaining disease-free foundation materials. These centres will feature laboratories equipped with cutting-edge diagnostic testing methods and will be staffed with experts who are trained in clean plant centre operating procedures and diagnostic testing protocols,” it elaborated in a release on 29 Nov 2024 https://www.nseindia.com/.
The project will roll out a clean plant certification scheme, accrediting private nurseries, and testing and certifying their planting materials. It will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare through the National Horticulture Board and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Fiinews.com
