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Agribusiness, Agro Universities, Collaborations, Company News, India, Sustainability

CSSRI in collaboration with Syngenta India will conduct joint research and development projects on soil salinity management and improving crop productivity, through sustainable agricultural practices.

Syngenta India recently announced two critical MoUs it has signed with government institutions to help farmers enhancing crop productivity and promoting diversified sustainable agriculture practices, Syngenta India signed multiple Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs), aiming to benefit the farmers of Haryana.

Susheel Kumar, MD & Country Head, Syngenta India, signed two MoUs with ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI) and Choudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (HAU) respectively.

The MoU with CSSRI is focused on promoting sustainable agricultural practices and improving soil health and resilience in salt-affected areas, while the MoU with Choudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (HAU) aims to promote diversified sustainable farming systems for improving productivity and working towards promoting diversified sustainable agriculture practices.

Susheel Kumar, Country Head and MD, Syngenta India, said, “Both the MoUs mark a significant step towards strengthening our collaborations with experts in the agriculture domain. Innovations are at the core of our functioning to effectively meet the challenges of a changing world, from climate change, soil erosion and biodiversity loss to the demands of farmers and the wider society. Since our contribution is a combined effort, we believe in taking all stakeholders along to make agriculture in India a model of sustainability and prosperity of farmers.”

After the exchange of MoU, Prof BR Kamboj, Vice Chancellor of CCSHAU, Hisar, said, “As a premier university dedicated to agriculture research and education, we are pleased to join hands with Syngenta India, one of the world’s leading agriculture companies, to promote diversified sustainable farming systems for improving productivity.”

Kumar added, “The need of the hour is to adopt a multifaceted approach by engaging all stakeholders to meet the challenge of increasing farm productivity. “We believe in a partnership approach and we have been collaborating proactively with public institutions, growers as well as non-government organizations in India”. As per the MoU, CCSHAU and Syngenta India would work together to achieve the common aim to develop skills of stakeholders, promote the use of ICT-driven tools and technologies to enhance decision making through accurate, reliable and timely information for agricultural research and sharing the output with the farmers, he explained further.

They will also collaborate to implement projects related to capacity building of rural youth in agriculture and allied sciences, safe use of crop protection chemicals and adoption of new technologies, etc., through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), Agriculture Diploma Technical Schools, Farmers Groups and other institutes of the university under Syngenta’s I RISE (Inculcating Rural India Skill Enhancement) initiative.

Dr RK Yadav, Director, ICAR-CSSRI, Karnal, while interacting with media persons on the occasion, said, “We in collaboration with Syngenta India will conduct joint research and development projects on soil salinity management and improving crop productivity, through sustainable agricultural practices.”

Kumar further explained that as per the terms and references of the MoU with ICAR-CSSRI, capacity building and training programs would also be conducted for farmers, researchers, and extension workers in the areas of soil salinity management, crop protection, and sustainable agriculture. Development of joint publications, presentations, and dissemination of research outcomes to the broader scientific community and stakeholders will also be done by us”.

Additionally, CSSRI will offer internship opportunities to interns sponsored by Syngenta, allowing them to work with eminent scientists and enhance their expertise in soil health and salinity management.

CSSRI in collaboration with Syngenta India will

Agribusiness, Agro Universities, Company News, India, Sustainability

 The collaboration aims to enhance training and capacity-building programs for farmers and rural youth, focusing on climate-resilient agriculture practices and agricultural skill training.

In their concerted stride towards mitigating the effects of climate change, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Syngenta Foundation India (SFI), and Syngenta India Pvt. Ltd. have signed a significant Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Foundation Day of ICAR. The collaboration aims to enhance training and capacity-building programs for farmers and rural youth, focusing on climate-resilient agriculture practices and agricultural skill training through ICAR’s extensive network of National Research Institutes, Regional Stations, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), and Agricultural Universities.

Under this agreement, ICAR institutes and KVKs will actively participate in training programs organized by SFI and Syngenta India and vice versa. The KVKs would extend these learnings to a wider farmers’ base through their extensive network. The collaboration will focus on capacity building and extension activities, including the adoption of climate-resilient agriculture practices, safe and proper use of crop protection chemicals, and the use of precision agriculture tools such as drones, IT, IoT, and AI-based techniques.

Dr Himanshu Pathak, Director General, ICAR, said, “This partnership is a major milestone in our efforts to equip farmers and rural youth with the necessary skills and knowledge for sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture. By leveraging the strengths of ICAR, Syngenta Foundation, and Syngenta India, we can reach the grassroots level and make a substantial impact.”

In fact, the objectives of this MoU align with Syngenta’s new sustainability commitments, which focus on: Higher yields, lower impact; Regenerate soil and nature; Improve rural prosperity; and Sustainable operations. Syngenta India has been working extensively on climate-resilient practices including soil health, regenerative agriculture, precision farming and possesses in-built capacities to extend the knowledge through the network of Agri Entrepreneurs along with SFI.

Susheel Kumar, Country Head and MD, Syngenta India Pvt. Ltd., highlighted the importance of this collaboration, saying, “Our quality R&D, climate-resilient practices and many decades of experience of working with farmers enable us to contribute significantly to this collaboration. Having worked with farmers and rural youth through a series of innovative programs, we consider this as yet another decisive step forward in enhancing the quality of life for smallholder farmers and rural youth and contribute to our efforts at mitigating the challenges of climate change.”

Dr K C Ravi, Chief Sustainability Officer, Syngenta India Pvt Ltd highlighted how this MoU was also in sync with Syngenta’s unique I Rise (Inculcate Rural India Skill Enhancement) initiative, designed to engage rural youth in agriculture and provide them appropriate skills and help them to explore dignified and sustainable income earning opportunities in agriculture sector. This program was initiated with the pilot project in 2023 to train 1000 rural youth in 3Es approach i.e., Educate youth in agriculture through the training and mentoring program, engage them in Agri sector through employment, entrepreneurship, or by becoming a lead farmer and elevate their livelihood income.

Rajendra Jog, Executive Director, Syngenta Foundation India, highlighted the collaboration’s potential, stating, “Over the years, we have developed a huge network of agri-entrepreneurs (AEs) who are trained in modern agriculture practices and extend their knowledge and knowhow to millions of farmers across the country. Our partnership with ICAR and KVKs will enable us to leverage our network of AEs to extend comprehensive training to many more farmers and rural youth.”

The partnership also aims to promote efficient agronomic practices, support KVKs, agri-entrepreneurs, dealers, distributors, and farmers through awareness and education programs, and enhance mechanization solutions in selected clusters. The parties will explore the use of AI and ML techniques to provide expert advisory services to farmers, helping them optimize input usage and reduce costs.

 The collaboration aims to enhance training and