ICRISAT and CII to establish Agri Science Park

Hyderabad, Mar 2 (UNI) The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)would establish an Agri Science Park, in a joint venture.

ICRISAT has signed an MOU with the CII recently to work together for sustainable rural development, according to Dr William Dar, Director General of ICRISAT.

The institute was the first among the 15 international agricultural research centers under the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) to initiate partnerships with the private sector, he said.

This initiative has yielded successful results benefiting the poor and marginal farmers of the semi-arid tropics, he said.

He said ICRISAT was strengthening its partnership with the private sector. The effort to establish the institute was one such. As an innovations- and impact-driven organization, ICRISAT was proactively attuned to external changes. The institute's strategic partnerships with the public and private sectors, NGOs, civil society and international bodies were meant to develop novel approaches that aid the transition from traditional production practices to sustainable systems that were more aligned with current markets.

The Agri-Science Park at ICRISAT would be the 'hub' for public-private partnerships that enhance the development and commercialization of science-generated technologies and knowledge through market mechanisms, Dr Dar Said.

UNI JRK VVSSI2003