New Delhi, Dec 17 (NationPress) India and Argentina have renewed their commitment to collaborate on sustainable agronomy, digital agriculture, and biotechnology with a newly established Work Plan. This initiative represents a pivotal advancement in fortifying bilateral agricultural partnerships.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Argentina's National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) have signed a ‘Work Plan 2025-2027’ aimed at enhancing joint efforts in agricultural research, capacity building, and technology sharing.

The Work Plan focuses on cooperation in areas such as natural resource management, sustainable agronomy including zero tillage, mechanization, micro-irrigation, and fertigation, as well as crop and animal biotechnology, livestock improvement, production technologies for both temperate and tropical crops, digital agriculture, biosafety, phytosanitary measures, and value chain development.

Implementation will involve joint research initiatives, germplasm exchange, expert collaborations, and organized training and study visits, as outlined by the Ministry of Agriculture.

The planned training programs and study visits will cover topics such as greenhouse vegetable production, floriculture, temperate fruits, post-harvest physiology, functional food development, veterinary diagnostics, precision livestock farming, waste-to-wealth technologies, microbial feed enhancement, digital agriculture, and sanitary and phytosanitary systems.

The germplasm exchange includes crops like soybean, sunflower, maize, blueberry, citrus, wild papaya species, guava, and selected vegetables.

Additionally, India and Argentina are intensifying collaboration in oilseeds and pulses value chains, agricultural mechanization — including zero-tillage, cotton harvesting machinery, and drones — along with horticulture value chain development, which includes infrastructure and planting material exchange.

In terms of plant and animal health, the plan aims to develop region-specific strategies for Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) elimination and to enhance cooperation on locust surveillance and management through technical exchanges and best practices, according to the ministry.

Dr. M.L. Jat, Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General of ICAR, and Mariano Augustin Caucino, Ambassador of Argentina to India, exchanged the signed ICAR–INTA Work Plan, marking a considerable advancement in bilateral agricultural cooperation.