The Netherlands and Tamil Nadu may set up centre of excellence in agriculture

The centre will be a platform for spreading technologies and techniques and sharing expertise

The Netherlands together with the Tamil Nadu government is looking to set up a centre of excellence in the State in the area of agriculture, according to Dutch Ambassador to India Marten van den Berg.

Pointing out such a centre had been set up in other States, including Maharashtra (Baramati), the Ambassador told senior journalists of The Hindu Group on Monday that the proposed centre would be a platform for spreading technologies and techniques besides sharing of expertise. Also, farmers would be trained to take to sustainable ways of producing crops.

Horticulture, dairy and food processing were among the potential areas for the Netherlands and Tamil Nadu to work together on. Already, a collaborative programme, Water as Leverage for Resilient Cities Asia, had been carried out, involving the authorities in Chennai to address urban water-related challenges.

Pointing out that the Netherlands and Tamil Nadu shared a “wonderful history” of over 400 years, the envoy referred to common features between his country and Tamil Nadu as both had long coastlines and rivers, apart from having experienced floods and droughts. “We do have economic history in certain areas,” he said, adding the two had “very similar challenges” in the field of economy.

The Ambassador, who earlier met Chief Minister M.K.Stalin, said he held, in a “comprehensive way,” discussions with Chief Secretary V. Irai Anbu and other senior officials of the State government to strengthen the ties in a “more structural” way. He indicated that “we are working on a Memorandum of Understanding” covering a “whole list” of topics for collaboration.

Emphasising that agriculture, water and innovation were the major areas of collaboration, the envoy added that urban planning and mobility, electric vehicles, tourism, promotion of start-ups, semiconductors  and improving connectivity between the Netherlands and Tamil Nadu were among the subjects discussed with the State government.