Nabard and UNDP India Forge Partnership for Data-Driven Agriculture Innovation

UNDP India and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) have forged a groundbreaking partnership aimed at revolutionizing agriculture and food systems through data-driven innovations in support of smallholder farmers. On Tuesday, the two organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalize their collaboration, marking a significant step towards improving the lives and livelihoods of India's smallholder farming community.

According to a joint statement issued by Nabard and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India, this strategic alliance will revolve around the exchange of open-source data to facilitate product development, technology transfer, and the formulation of agricultural policies. At its core, the partnership seeks to empower smallholder farmers with the tools and knowledge necessary to thrive in an ever-evolving agricultural landscape.

One of the key initiatives emerging from this MoU is the enhancement and dissemination of collaborative digital public goods, with particular emphasis on a platform known as DiCRA (Data in Climate Resilient Agriculture). DiCRA, a brainchild of UNDP and its partner organizations, serves as a valuable resource by providing open access to crucial geospatial datasets relevant to climate-resilient agriculture.

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Currently, DiCRA offers invaluable insights into climate resilience for an impressive expanse of 50 million hectares of farmland across India. Under the newly established partnership, Nabard will shoulder the responsibility of hosting and maintaining the DiCRA platform, utilizing its invaluable geospatial datasets to inform policy-making, research, and development initiatives. UNDP will provide crucial technical support to ensure the platform's effectiveness in driving positive change within the agricultural sector.

Chairman of Nabard, Shaji K V, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, emphasizing the vast potential it holds for leveraging data as a digital public infrastructure for the rural Indian farming community. By harnessing the power of open data innovations, this partnership aims to spotlight best practices, optimize agricultural investments, and provide a safety net against various risks faced by smallholder farmers.

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UNDP India Deputy Resident Representative, Isabelle Tschan, underscored the significance of this partnership, stating that it would fortify their commitment to promoting sustainable agricultural practices and securing livelihoods. She particularly highlighted the role this collaboration will play in reducing the vulnerability of small farmholders, with a particular focus on empowering women in the agricultural sector.

In conclusion, the MoU between UNDP India and Nabard signifies a crucial milestone in advancing agriculture and food systems through data-driven innovations. With DiCRA at the forefront of their efforts, this partnership aims to equip smallholder farmers with the knowledge and resources necessary to not only survive but thrive in an ever-changing agricultural landscape. Through their collective dedication to open data and digital innovation, the future looks promising for India's agricultural community.

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