BHOPAL: Israel’s decision to set up two centres of excellence (CoEs) in Madhya Pradesh, focusing on citrus fruits and vegetables, has put a section of the top bureaucracy in a prickly position as one of the locations is in Chhindwara, the bastion of former chief minister Kamal Nath.
These centres will provide MP farmers exposure to latest Israeli technologies and help them maximise production and returns. It would also boost crop diversification, say officials.
Earlier this week, Israeli diplomat Dan Alluf tweeted “#Madhya Pradesh to establish two Indo-Israel CoE: One in #Morena for vegetables under protected cultivation & another in #Chhindwara for Citrus. Mr (Manoj). Agrawal commissioner horticulture, looking forward to strong cooperation.”

Dan, an authorised officer for ‘Israel Agriculture in India & Sri-Lanka’ on a G2G level, had visited Chhindwara in August last year to initiate the new citrus CoE, say sources.
Horticulture commissioner Manoj Agrawal, who expedited the process after taking charge, had a meeting with Dan after which consent was given for the CoEs in both districts.
But as soon as Dan tweeted the locations, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s advisors got concerned over the political ramification of this key project in Nath’s nine-time Lok Sabha constituency. Insiders say there might be a correspondence for change of location soon.
Citrus is grown on 1.25 lakh hectares in Madhya Pradesh, a fifth of which is in Chhindwara. Major citrus growing areas in Chhindwara are Sausar and Pandhurna tehsils. Vegetables are grown in around 3,000 hectares in Morena.
CoE creates a sustainable model for farmers. In the third phase of Indo-Israel Action Plan, the steering committee agreed to extend the activities for three years and approved a revised action plan and activities in states like MP where farmers will be taught advanced technologies.
The Indo-Israel Agricultural Project (IIAP) is based on an MoU signed by the agriculture ministers of both countries in 2006 for introducing crop diversity, and increasing productivity and water use efficiency.
IIAP is implemented via establishment of centres of excellence, in which Israeli technologies and knowhow are tailored to Indian conditions and taught to farmers.