The United States government, through its Department of Agriculture-Foreign Agricultural Service, and the Maharashtra government’s agriculture department signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will ensure better food security in the western state.
It will also enable Maharashtra’s farmers access to cutting-edge data from anywhere in the state.
US Consul General David J Ranz and Maharashtra’s Agriculture Secretary Eknath Davle signed a joint statement at Mantralaya, the state secretariat in Mumbai, expressing their support for the MoU. The statement was signed in the presence of Agriculture Minister Dadaji Bhuse.
The MoU will provide a framework for technical cooperation between the USDA and Maharashtra agriculture department in the development of robust agricultural market information systems, along with potential collaboration in other areas.
Ranz said, “This MoU represents the most ambitious bilateral capacity-building effort between the USDA and an Indian government entity to date. Maharashtra is an agricultural powerhouse, as is the United States, and we play an important role ensuring global food security, as well as meeting growing demand for fiber and fuel. This MOU demonstrates our commitment to enhancing farmer welfare and making our agricultural production systems more efficient and sustainable through the sharing of best practices and skills.”
The USDA will aid Maharashtra’s efforts to support farmers by enhancing agricultural value chains, facilitating agri-business investment and developing resilient agricultural production systems through its Hon. Balasaheb Thackeray Agribusiness and Rural Transformation (SMART) Project, supported by the World Bank.
Maharashtra Chief Minister UddhavThackeray is taking many initiatives for welfare of farmers in the state, Bhuse said. The initiative ‘Vikel te Pikel’ (produce that can be sold) is being implemented for an assured market for the farmers' produce.
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