Arunachal: Israel gives tech expertise for agri sector

Itanagar, Jun 20: Israel has expressed willingness to offer technical espertise to the state to improve its agriculture sector through its world famous advanced technology in this field.

They would help Arunachal Pradesh find an alternative to its traditional "jhooming" cultivation and harness its huge potential.

Addressing a press conference here last evening, Isareli Ambassador David Danieli said that if the state desires, his country could send an expert team to study the problem and suggest solution and could also conduct a related course for the students of Arunachal.

Mr Danieli, who arrived here on a three-day visit, is scheduled to meet Governor S K Singh today, while he would meet Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu in Delhi and discuss the various state issues.

Forced to the brink by the Germans, the Jews by their sheer determination, creativity and continuous innovation had turned Israel into what its known today the world over for its micro-irrigation, multi-faceted scientific development, superior defense equipments and enterprise.

The country, with an area of 21,000 sq km, holding 7.3 million populations and with only 500 mm annual rainfall without any natural resources meets its own food requirements by engaging three per cent of its work force in agriculture sector, Danieli said, adding the excess produces were exported too.

Arunachal with 3,000 mm annual rainfall could progress in agriculture sector in a big way by adopting cash crops with advanced agri know-how, he said.

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar lead a 300-strong farmers' team to Israel in May last year and signed an bilateral agreement with Israel on a three-year work plan to be initiated this year-end, covering nine areas, including micro irrigation, post harvest treatment of yield and its marketing to reduce wastage which rang up to 35 per cent in India.

Israeli company Netafim (meaning drops in Hebrew) has been providing expertise in micro-irrigation requiring least amount of water which proved successful in sugarcane cultivation in Maharashtra, he said, adding that the popular belief that rice cultivation needs flooding was proven to be a myth by an Israeli experiment.

Talking about a wide range of subjects, particularly the 15-year-old strong Indo-Israel cooperation, Mr Danieli said it has been the fastest growing bilateral relation between the two young nations which attained independence around the same time after the Second World War and had a democratic mode of government.

While direct foreign investment by Israel in India amounted to one billion US dollars mostly in IT, construction, pharmaceuticals, diamond and agro-industries, Indian investors were doing well in Israel with Sunpharma of India recently procuring an Isralei company to have a foothold in the US market as Israel has free trade agreement(FTA) with them.

However, Israel was contemplating to sign FTA with India too to strengthen its ties further.

Describing Arunachal as a treasure trove of nature's beauty which has been alluring tourists from his country, he also offered help for development of tourism infrastructure to tap in the vast potential. He further said around 1,000 Mizos claiming Jews ancestry have been converted to Judaism during the last 10 years before being granted citizenship by the Israel Gonernment.

UNI