Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Agriculture

09-December-2011 16:3 IST

The Government of India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Strategic Cooperation with Government of USA on Agriculture and Food Security on 16th March, 2010. As a sequel to the signing of the MoU, three Working Groups namely, - (i) Working Group-I:- Strategic Cooperation for Food Security; (ii) Working Group-II:- Food Processing, Farm to Market Linkages and Agricultural Extension; (iii) Working Group-III:- Crop and Weather and Climate Forecasting were constituted. Follow up action has commenced.

Total programme expenditure reported till September 2011 is US $1.719 million.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) received from USA in agriculture services sector during the last three years (April 2008 to September 2011) is Rs.57.42 crore. FDI in core agriculture sector is not permitted.

This information was given by Shri Harish Rawat, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.

MP:SB:CP: security (9.12.2011)

Strategic cooperation for food security establishes bilateral working groups and program spending, with FDI limited to services only. Memorandum of Understanding on strategic cooperation in agriculture and food security establishes three working groups-strategic cooperation for food security; food processing, farm to market linkages and agricultural extension; and crop and weather and climate forecasting-to implement follow up actions. Programme expenditure has been reported and foreign direct investment from the partner country has been recorded in the agriculture services sector, while FDI in the core agriculture sector is not permitted under existing policy.