Centers of Excellence (CoE) under MIDH

Centers of Excellence (CoE) under MIDH

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April 20, 2023

Recently, the MIDH or, the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture received a shot in the arm because the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare agreed to establish three more Centers of Excellence (CoE). They are:

1. CoE for flowers and vegetables under the ambit of Indo-Israel Action Plan is to be set up at a government cultivation estate in Ponda, Goa.

2. CoE for vegetables and mango is to be established in Jaipur within the ambit of Ando-Israel Action Plan.

3. CoE for Dragon Fruit (Kamlam) is to be established in Bangalore by the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR).

Some other details of the same are as follows:

• 49 CoEs have been approved till now by the ministry. They are being set-up in different states with the help of research institutes or bilateral co-operation.

• The CoEs work as training and demonstration points for the newest technologies within the horticultural sector.

• They also work as a point of secured cultivation in planting material for vegetable and fruit seedlings.

• CoEs help with technology transfer and for expertise in different areas like fertigation and irrigation, new varieties introduction, management of post-harvest, pollination, plant protection, etc.

Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)

• Started in 2014-15, it is a central government-sponsored scheme that aims at the holistic development of the horticultural* sector.

• MIDH deal in vegetables, fruits, tuber and root crops, spices, aromatic plants, cashew, bamboo, mushrooms, flowers, cocoa and coconut.

• For the development programmes, the central government provides 85% of the total funds in all the states excluding states in the Himalayas and North-East while the respective state governments provide the remaining 15% fund share.

*Horticulture is a part of plant agriculture that exclusively focuses on ornamental plants and garden crops like vegetables and fruits.

Aims of MIDH

• As per regionally-differentiated plans, foster all-around growth in the field of horticulture using technology promotion, marketing and processing, research, post-harvest management, etc.

• Improve farmer’s income, boost nutritional security and augment horticulture production.

• Inspire farmers to create farmer groups such as Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) so that ‘economy of scale’ can be induced.

• Develop employment creation opportunities and boost skill development in horticulture for rural youth.

Source - MIDH at https://midh.gov.in