Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (DA&FW), held a bilateral meeting with Ms. Piret Hartman, Estonia’s Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi today. The meeting focused on enhancing collaboration between India and Estonia in the agriculture and allied sectors.
Welcoming the Estonian Minister, Dr. Chaturvedi shared the key priorities of the Indian government in the agricultural sector. These priorities include ensuring food security, leveraging technology to enhance digital infrastructure for farmers, promoting crop diversification to boost farmers’ incomes, and increasing value addition in horticultural products. He underscored the importance of climate-resilient farming practices, organic farming, and the need to expand agricultural exports.
Dr. Chaturvedi highlighted the government’s efforts to support small farmers, acknowledging their crucial role in India’s agriculture. He discussed initiatives like Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), contract farming, crop diversification, and the inclusion of livestock, fisheries, and other sectors in agriculture. He also spoke about government policies addressing climate change, including the promotion of improved seeds, water-use efficiency, sustainable soil health management, and traditional natural farming practices. In this context, Dr. Chaturvedi emphasized the importance of surface water for irrigation through initiatives such as “Catch the Rain” and other enhanced irrigation solutions, including the maintenance of water reservoirs and ponds.
Ms. Hartman shared Estonia’s successes in organic farming, food safety, and sustainable agricultural practices. She highlighted Estonia’s expertise in IT-driven agricultural solutions, focusing on innovations in water optimization and precision agriculture. Ms. Hartman also expressed interest in collaborating with India in the areas of food processing, value addition in agricultural products, and the application of technology to improve agricultural productivity.
During the meeting, Mr. Minhaj Alam, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), discussed the significant potential for collaboration in India’s food processing sector. Shri Ajeet Kumar Sahu, Joint Secretary for International Cooperation at DA&FW, emphasized the opportunities for mutually beneficial partnerships in the agri-tech start-up ecosystem between both countries.
Both sides expressed a strong interest in exploring further avenues of cooperation, particularly through institutional mechanisms, focusing on sustainable agricultural practices, technology exchange, and capacity-building initiatives in the agriculture and allied sectors.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from both sides, including Shri Minhaj Alam, Additional Secretary (MoFPI), Shri Ajeet Kumar Sahu, Joint Secretary (IC) at DA&FW, and representatives from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The Estonian delegation included Ms. Marje Luup, Ambassador of Estonia to India, Ms. Marika Saar, Counsellor, and Mr. Margus Solnson, Deputy Head of Mission. This bilateral engagement marks a significant step in strengthening the ties between India and Estonia in the agriculture and allied sectors.
