TAD NewsDesk, Kerala: An Indo Dutch centre of excellence (CoE) is set to open in the Wayanad district of Kerala.
The centre will focus on the following activities:
- Open-field precision farming of vegetables and flowers,
- Production and distribution of quality planting materials to farmers
- Training programmes for farmers, entrepreneurs, and extension officers in the first phase .
The statement issued by the Indian Embassy at The Hague said,
“A tissue culture laboratory has been set up as part of the project for producing good quality planting materials. The centre will also explore possibilities in agri-horti tourism in the district. The idea is to transform Wayanad into a hub of floriculture.”
The CoE would provide an opportunity for dispersion of the best Dutch technical practice that will benefit the Indian agricultural system.
In a virtual conclave, the CoE for vegetables and flowers was inaugurated on Thursday by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar presided over the function.
Tomar said the centre will benefit the entire nation along with Kerala and he also added,
“This centre will mainly showcase the technological achievements of the Netherlands by activities such as production and distribution of quality planting materials and seeds to farmers. It will showcase post-harvest handling, storage and marketing of produce for farmers. It will offer training programmes for officers for enhancing income of farmers. The inauguration of this centre has much relevance in the Indian context.”
The total cost of the establishment of the plant took 12 crores and has been provided for by the central and state governments.
This will be the second CoE being set up under the Indo-Dutch Joint Action Plan, after the first one in 2017 set in Baramati in Maharashtra.
Source: The Economic Times
