From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jun 6: The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and Karnataka have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for enhancing agricultural productivity and make agriculture climate resilient in the State.

ICRISAT Director General William D Dar and State Government’s Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner Kaushik Mukerjee signed the MoU in the presence of Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda and Agriculture Minister Umesh Katti.

The ICRISAT has been providing technical support to the Agriculture Department in implementing the Bhoo Chetana programme in the State since 2009.

ICRISAT led consortium comprising organisations would establish four pilot sites in four revenue divisions of the state to demonstrate various technologies which can benefit the farmers.

The consortium consists of International Water Management Institute, International Livestock Research Institute, International Rice Research Institute, Centre for International Maize and Water Improvement Centre, International Food Policy Research Institute and International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas .

The programme is for four years and successful technologies would be scaled up by the government departments to benefit large number of farmers in the State.

Katti said organic farming has been extended to 71,000 hectares in the State and Bhoo Chetana had improved yield in various districts.