India has signed a $98 million loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to enhance horticulture crop productivity, the Ministry of Finance announced on Friday.
The loan, part of the "Building India's Clean Plant Programme," aims to improve farmers' access to certified disease-free planting materials, boosting crop yields, quality, and resilience to climate impacts.
The agreement was signed by Juhi Mukherjee, Joint Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Kai Wei Yeo, Officer-in-Charge of ADB's India Resident Mission.
"The ADB funding will promote plant health, which is vital for improving farmers' productivity," Mukherjee said after the signing.
Yeo highlighted that the project aligns with the government’s Atma Nirbhar Clean Plant Programme (CPP), which focuses on improving plant health management. He added that the project would help develop the regulatory framework and institutional systems needed to implement the CPP for horticulture effectively in India.
The project will involve close collaboration with private nurseries, researchers, state governments, and growers' associations to ensure its success and sustainability.
According to the Ministry of Finance, the project will establish clean plant centres with state-of-the-art laboratories for disease diagnostics, staffed with trained experts.
These centres will maintain disease-free foundation materials and introduce a clean plant certification scheme. Accredited private nurseries will be tested and certified to ensure that farmers have access to high-quality planting materials.
The initiative is expected to enhance crop productivity and help farmers adapt to climate change challenges by providing disease-free materials that improve long-term resilience, particularly as rising temperatures affect pest and disease behaviour.
The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, along with the National Horticulture Board and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
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