India, Australia hold talks on bolstering agri-tech ties

 In a bid to further strengthen the bilateral relationship between India and Australia and to explore new opportunities for collaboration in the agriculture and allied sectors, Australian High Commissioner Philip Green held talks with Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, at Krishi Bhawan here, according to an official statement issued on Friday.

Chaturvedi outlined India's current priorities in agriculture, emphasizing that the government is not only committed to ensuring food security but also to enhancing farmers' incomes and improving nutritional security for the population.

He highlighted key initiatives such as crop diversification, the promotion of exports, achieving self-sufficiency in oilseeds and pulses, and the strengthening of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) as vital components of India's agricultural strategy.

The Secretary stressed the importance of technological advancements, including precision agriculture, the Digital Agriculture Mission, and the mechanization of small farms, in modernizing the sector. Additionally, he acknowledged the growing role of startups in driving innovation and transformation in agriculture.

Green highlighted the importance of agriculture in Australia’s priorities and the potential for enhanced collaboration between the two nations. He expressed keen interest in exploring opportunities within the agri-tech sector and emphasised the importance of strengthening trade ties to further these objectives. Green emphasised the need for continued engagement to identify and unlock new opportunities for trade and cooperation.

Both sides agreed on the importance of advancing collaboration across various areas, including agri-tech, horticulture, digital agriculture, and agricultural machinery.

During the meeting, Chaturvedi underscored the significance of the longstanding and multifaceted partnership between India and Australia, with particular focus on the agricultural sector.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, representatives from ICAR, and the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs also participated in the discussion.

Australia and India signed an MoU to develop and strengthen cooperation in skills training in the agriculture sector. The agreement was the outcome of the joint commitment of the Australian and Indian Prime Ministers in October 2012 to build bilateral partnerships between skills councils in key industry areas, including telecommunications, retail, mining and agriculture.

The MoU was signed between the Agriculture Skills Council of India and AgriFood Skills Australia to promote cooperation in creating quality occupational, training, assessment, certification, information and stakeholder engagement standards.