India, Netherlands deepen farm ties; seed sector pact on the table
India and the Netherlands have agreed to deepen agricultural cooperation, with talks between the two agriculture ministers in New Delhi focusing on Centres of Excellence, the seed sector and agricultural innovation.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held bilateral discussions with Dutch Minister Silvio Erkens, who oversees agriculture, fisheries, food security and nature, on September 28. Both sides reiterated their resolve to raise farm productivity through modern technology, innovation and knowledge exchange, and also discussed market access.
A key item was progress on 25 Centres of Excellence being set up across India’s agriculture and horticulture sectors. The centres are meant to bring Dutch expertise in protected cultivation and farm technology closer to Indian farmers.
The ministers also agreed to explore cooperation in the seed sector through a dedicated work plan. Erkens visited India from September 27 to October 2, the first visit by a Dutch agriculture minister since 2018, following the strategic partnership announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s May visit.
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