ALONG THE ANGLOSPHERE:

India and Israel have agreed to establish a 'joint team' to finalise the 'third phase' of the three years action plan (2015-2018) for further strengthening and widening the scope of bilateral agricultural development cooperation between the two countries, said Indian government officials.

The joint team will submit the action plan by March this year, they added.

In the first phase during 2008-10, five 'Centre of Excellence' for fruits and vegetables were set up in Haryana and Maharashtra, while in the second phase (2012-15), around 22 such centres are being established in different states.

At these centres, experts from Israel have been training Indian officers as well as farmers in nursery management, protected cultivation, post harvest management, use of poor quality water for irrigation, precision farming of micro irrigation and other best agricultural practices.

The joint agriculture project is being implemented as part of the agreement of agri-cooperation signed between India and Israel way back in January 2008. The cooperation was extended till 2015.

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