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Seminar on
How to Double Food Production In Five years
An Indo - Dutch Approach
1430 hrs, 23rd May 2013: Ballroom: Hotel Oberoi, New Delhi
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Seminar on
How to Double Food Production In Five Years
An Indo - Dutch Approach
1430 hrs, 23rd May 2013: Ballroom: Hotel Oberoi, New Delhi
Programme
1430 – 1500 hrs
Registration
1500 – 1630 hrs
Inaugural Session
1500 – 1510 hrs
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Mr Salil Singhal
Chairman, CII National Council of Agriculture &
Chairman, PI Industries
1510 – 1520 hrs
Theme Address
HE Alphonsus Stoelinga
Ambassador
Embassy of the Netherlands
1520 – 1530 hrs
Special Address
Mrs Anuradha Prasad
Joint Secretary
Ministry of Food Processing Industries
1530 – 1540 hrs
Special Address
Mrs Rajni Sekhri Sibal
Joint Secretary (Animal Husbandry & Dairy)
Dept. of Animal Husbandry, Dairy & Fisheries
Ministry of Agriculture
1540 – 1550 hrs
Special Address
Ms Sara Knijff
Deputy Director
Ministry of Economic Affairs, Netherlands
1550 – 1600 hrs
Special Address
Mr Jan Hak
Chairman
Netherlands Agro Food & Technology Center
1600-1610hrs
Guest of Honour
Mr Sanjeev Chopra
Joint Secretary & Mission Director
National Horticulture Mission &
National Mission on Micro Irrigation
Ministry of Agriculture, Govt of India
1610 –1620 hrs
Concluding Remarks
1620 – 1630 hrs
Tea Break
Mr Arie Veldhuizen
Counselor for Agriculture
Nature & Food Quality
Embassy of the Netherlands
Session II
1630- 1640 hrs
Implementation view by Dutch Government
Mr Marijn Leijten
Director
NAFTC-India
1640-1650 hrs
Implementation view by Indian Government
Ms Anuradha Vemuri
Addl. Commissioner
National Horticulture Mission
1650-1700 hrs
Double Food Production in five years
Dr R P Dua
Astt Director General
Food & Fodder Crops
ICAR
Developments in Indian Scientific area
1700-1710 hrs
Double Food Production in five years
Grain Production in Scientific Way
Prof Anton Haverkort
Crop Ecologist & Plant Research
Wageningen UR
1710-1720 hrs
White Paper: Breeding for Abiotic Stress,
Tolerance to Increase Food Security
Dr Bernard De Geus
Director, Top Technology
Institute Green Genetics- TTIGG
1720-1730 hrs
Evaluation & Conclusion
Mr Arie Veldhuizen
Agricultural Counsellor
Embassy of Netherlands
-
Finalizing the next course of action
-
Finalizing the timeframe for the upcoming decided proposals
1730 hrs
Close
1830 hrs
Network Dinner at the Ambassador’s residence, hosted by
Ambassador, H.E. Alphonsus Stoelinga
Venue -: Ambassador’s residence
(Add-: 10 Aurangzeb Road, Near Claridges Hotel, New Delhi)
2130 hrs
Close
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Seminar on
How to Double Food Production In Five Years
An Indo - Dutch Approach
1430 hrs, 23rd May 2013: Ballroom: Hotel Oberoi, New Delhi
Inaugural Session:
A seminar on “How to Double the Food Production in Five years- An Indo-Dutch
Approach” was organized jointly by CII Northern Region and the Embassy of Netherlands.
The objective of the seminar was to strengthen Indo- Dutch trade relations in agriculture,
horticulture, dairy, poultry and livestock sector.
The objective of the seminar was to deliberate upon the Indo-Dutch action plan which was
signed in May 2012 between Ministry of Agriculture, Govt of India and Ministry of
Economic Affairs, the Netherlands during the visit of Mr Sharad Pawar, Hon’ble Minister
of Agriculture, Govt of India. In this agreement many areas of cooperation in
agriculture/food were defined. One of which was to establish Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in
some of the states in India, namely Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Punjab, West Bengal
and Kerala. The objective of these CoEs would be to showcase the Indo- Dutch cooperation in
agriculture. The strategy would be to work in different states through these CoEs, which will in
principle, be a platform provided by the Indo- Dutch Govt., where various projects in
horticulture, dairy, meat processing could be initiated, coordinated and evaluated.
While welcoming the delegates, at this seminar Mr Salil Singhal, Chairman, CII National
Council of Agriculture & Chairman, PI Industries said that CII has always whole heartedly
supported the initiatives towards the development of sectors that are crucial to the growth of
the country and is also supporting this initiative of the Embassy of Netherlands where they are
setting up Centers of excellence in various states of India, with an aim of doubling the food
production in the country in next five years. Mr Singhal also highlighted that the CII National
Council on Agriculture has taken up Rejuvenating Indian Agriculture as its key priority agenda
and with this objective the Council has actively engaged with the Government, both at the
Central and State levels.
Presenting the Theme Address, the Netherlands Ambassador HE Alphonsus Stoelinga,
said that the Dutch have always felt at home in India as Dutch traders had come to India four
hundred years ago. He said that they want to forge new relationship in the agriculture sector by
collaborating with India on the CoEs that are big set up in the states of India
The Guest of Honour, Mr Sanjeev Chopra, Joint Secretary & Mission Director, National
Horticulture Mission & National Mission on Micro Irrigation, Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of
India said that it is imperative that any initiative taken in Agriculture sector helps us in
increasing the farmers’ income which is crucial for increasing food production. He further
appreciated the setting of Centres of Excellence in several states of India under the Indo –
Dutch collaboration and said that such CoEs are a welcome step and it compels us to think big
and scale certain milestones. He also stressed that for the success of this initiative, following a
proper procedure is very important.
Mrs Anuradha Prasad, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries in her address
stressed that by doubling food production, we must focus on doubling the primary production
through processing and value addition so that safe and quality food is made available to the
consumers along with better remuneration for the farmers. She also stressed that Post Harvest
losses which are very huge can be reduced not only through better harvesting practices but
also through better infrastructure in the form of processing facilities, cold storage systems,
better processing technology and better skills. She highlighted that Indian food processing
sector, though in nascent stage, is in the higher growth trajectory.
Mrs Rajni Sehkri Sibal, Joint Secretary Animal Husbandry & Dairy, Ministry of Agriculture in
her address highlighted that though India enjoys the first position in milk production it lags
behind in productivity. She said that only 16% milk in India is produced by the organized
sector, rest is under unorganized sector. She also stressed that interventions are needed for
value addition of milk. She also emphasized that these CoEs and joint collaborations are
needed for mutual benefits.
Ms Sara Knijff, Deputy Director, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Netherlands in her address said
that industrialization in food processing sector provides great opportunities and these CoEs are
a platform to educate people about the latest technologies. She also highlighted that the major
challenges in agri sector are farm management, food security and agri logistics.
Mr Jan Hak, Chairman, Netherlands Agro Food & Technology Center in his address
mentioned that NAFTC is a public private partnership representing Dutch Agriculture, Food &
Agro/Food Technology enterprises in selected countries and is the implementation body from
the Dutch side. He also shared that NAFTC will be working with the respective states to make
these CoEs approach sustainable. He also stresses that these CoEs are key to
entrepreneurship and will work towards skill building among people.
In his concluding remarks, Mr Arie Veldhuizen, Counselor for Agriculture, Nature & Food
Quality, Embassy of the Netherlands stressed that these CoEs are important for achieving
the goal of Doubling the food production in the next five years and proper roadmap is being
jointly prepared by Indian & Dutch Government for successful implementation & evaluation of
the Centers of Excellence.
Second Session:
The second session was chaired by Mr Akshay Bector, Chairman, CII Regional Committee
of Food & Agriculture & Managing Director, Mrs Bector’s Food Specialties Ltd. While
welcoming the delegates, he stressed that agriculture accounts for 14.5 per cent of gross
domestic product (GDP) in 2010-11 and engages nearly 58 per cent of the workforce (in 2001),
is the mainstay of the economy and critical to food security and inclusive growth.
Mr Marijn Leijten, Director, NAFTC-India while addressing the delegates highlighted the role
played by Netherlands Agro Food Technology Centre (NAFTC). He shared with the
delegates that NAFTC is a public private partnership representing Dutch Agriculture, Food &
Agro/Food Technology enterprises in selected countries, and is the implementation body from
the Dutch side which will work with the respective states to make these CoEs approach
sustainable.
Dr R P Dua, Assistant Director General, Food & Fodder Crops, ICAR highlighted the major
scientific developments made in Indian agriculture. He shared with the audience the various
breakthroughs made by ICAR in the plant varieties to increase their yield, quality, and
resistance to a range of factors such as heat, drought etc. He also emphasized that ICAR
along with CoEs will work towards making people aware about the latest scientific
developments so that more people adopt these technologies to increase their productivity and
income.
Prof Anton Haverkort, Crop Ecologist & Plant Research, Wageningen UR in his address
emphasized that production has to become more intensive and we have to produce more per
hectare and animal otherwise we will not be able to feed our ever increasing population. He
also stressed that these CoEs are being established with an aim to educate the farmers about
latest techniques and varieties to increase the productivity.
Dr Bernard De Geus, Director, Top Technology Institute Green Genetics (TTIGG) in his
address stressed that increasing production is not the exclusive domain of industry and
farmers; Government also has an important role to play by creating a level playing field. He
also emphasized on the need for better R&D facilities to support the goal of better varieties
which are resistant to abiotic stresses such as drought and heat.
Mr Arie Veldhuizen while concluding the seminar emphasized that a joint effort from Indian &
Dutch government is needed to make these CoEs successful and sustainable. He also shared
that these 10 CoEs are just a starting point and the Indo-Dutch collaboration will be extended
to many more such CoEs in others states as well.
The Seminar marked the presence of eminent speakers from State & Central Government,
ICAR, National Horticulture Mission and Dutch Institutes & Companies.
The Seminar was well attended by over 150 delegates from all over India which included
Government officials from the States of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Punjab, West
Bengal and Kerala, representatives from Agriculture Institutes (Indian as well as Dutch),
farmers, and industry. In the evening a networking Dinner was hosted by The Netherlands
Ambassador at his residence which was attended by more than 200 guests from various
Embassies (like France, Chile, Namibia, Israel), Govt officials, industry and institutes.
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