Nigeria-India ARD collaboration

30 August. LUDHIANA, Punjab, India. A 11-member high level delegation from Nigeria visited the Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering and Technology (CIPHET) to find collaborative areas and explore possibilities in post harvest sector.

The delegation was headed by Executive Secretary Agriculture Research Council of Nigeria, Professor Abubakar Baba Yusuf and National Coordinator of West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme, Professor Damian O Chikwendu.

Speaking on the occasion, Abubakar said that they wanted to know what were the new developments in Indian agriculture scenario. "Though we have institutes in agriculture research 50 years back, but recently government of Nigeria has connected all institutes under the umbrella of agriculture transformation programme," he said, adding that they are looking India as a lead partner.

Saying that he got impressed with the research initiatives carried out by CIPHET, he said that they were trying to find ways to control post harvest losses in fruits and vegetables, which were as high as 50 percent in Nigeria.

Dr Damain O Chikwendu said that they were having difficulty in transferring technology to end users. "We are interested in knowing as to how institutes like CIPHET are working in this area".

Giving brief overview of the institute activities, Director CIPHET Dr U.S. Shivhare  informed the delegates that institute was housing two mega All India coordinated Projects (AICRP) with coordinating centers across the country. "We are actively engaged in transferring technologies of this and other ICAR institutes," he added.

Project Coordinator (PHT) Dr SK Nanda, Project Coordinator (APA) Dr P Bhatnagar, Head Food Grains Oil Seed Division Dr RK Gupta, Head Transfer of Technology Division Dr Deepak Raj Rai and Head Atmosphere Structures & Environmental Control (AS&EC) Division informed delegates about research activities in their respective projects and divisions. A film on CIPHET was also screened on the occasion.