India is poised to establish a CIP-South Asia Regional Centre (CIP-SARC) in Agra, following the model of China's regional center of the International Potato Centre (CIP) established seven years prior. This initiative aims to support potato and sweet potato cultivation in major producing regions within India, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal, extending benefits to neighboring South Asian countries.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare has prioritized the proposal for the new government's agenda, with plans to formalize the agreement after discussions between Indian and Peruvian officials and subsequent Union Cabinet approval in India. The project, with an estimated cost of USD 20 million, will see financial contributions from both India (USD 13 million) and CIP, alongside land provided by the Uttar Pradesh government.
Objectives include the development of new varieties of potatoes and sweet potatoes that are resilient to climate change and disease, leveraging CIP's global resources. This center marks India's second significant international agricultural research institute initiative following the establishment of the IRRI-South Asia Regional Centre in Varanasi in 2017.
Source: menafn.com