PA/21/14 4 July 2014
Australian funded agriculture initiative to boost small farmers’ productivity in India, Nepal and Bangladesh launched
Two Indian states - Bihar and West Bengal - will benefit from an Australian Government funded research initiative to help small farmers improve agriculture productivity.
The new five-year Australian dollar $7.3 million (40.5 crore rupees) regional research initiative in Nepal, Bangladesh and India will tap the agricultural potential of the area, and help 7,000 farmers to become more productive, profitable and sustainable through adopting new technology.
The program will operate in two districts in both Bihar and West Bengal, as well as two districts each in Bangladesh and Nepal. It will be launched in Kathmandu on 3 July.
“This initiative will help to raise agricultural productivity in a region which has the potential to become one of Asia’s great food bowls,” said the Acting Australian High Commissioner to India, Mr Bernard Philip.
The Eastern Gangetic Plains is dominated by small farms with many female farmers who have little access to credit, quality seeds, fertilisers, irrigation, or formal extension services. They also have to contend with climate-related risks and extreme events such as floods, drought and cold snaps.
“This program will allow farmers to test a range of innovations to help them boost food production, including conservation agriculture and efficient use of water resources, while strengthening their ability to adapt and link to markets and support services,” Mr Philip said.
“Our aim is to enable at least 130,000 farmers to adopt these technologies within the next ten years.”
The research program involves a large number of complementary research and development partners including national and state research institutions and extension services across the three countries and in Australia, and international non-government organisations and research centres (Indian, Australian and international partners are listed below).
The initiative is led by the International Wheat and Maize Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) and implemented in collaboration with research and development partners. Scientists and development practitioners from Australia, Bangladesh, India and Nepal are meeting for the inception of the program, funded with Australian development assistance and managed by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).
India
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
Bhar Agricultural University
Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalaya University
JEEViKA (Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project)
Sakhi Bihar
Australia
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT)
CSIRO
Curtin University
University of Queensland
University of New England
International agricultural research centres
International Wheat and Maize Improvement Centre (CIMMYT)
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
For interview requests, Dr Kuhu Chatterjee, Regional Manager, South and West Asia, ACIAR, is available. Please contact Shekhar Nambiar, Senior Adviser, Media & Advocacy, Australian High Commission, on +919810154167.