Villages of Excellence Programme
Context
During his official visit to Israel in February 2026, the Prime Minister of India announced the Villages of Excellence Programme to strengthen grassroots-level agricultural cooperation between the two nations.
Programme Overview
The Villages of Excellence Programme is a decentralised extension of the Indo-Israel Agriculture Project (IIAP).
It shifts the focus from isolated, high-technology Centres of Excellence to the holistic development of entire village clusters by embedding Israeli agricultural expertise directly into local farming systems.
Partner Countries
India and Israel.
Objective
The programme aims to bridge the gap between advanced agricultural innovation and small farmers.
By transferring Israeli farming technologies from institutional centres to village fields, it seeks to improve productivity, resilience, and farm incomes in a sustainable manner.
Major Components
- Scaling Institutional Infrastructure: Expansion of agricultural Centres of Excellence across India to a target of 100.
- Village-Centric Approach: Development of villages located near CoEs as demonstration hubs for surrounding regions.
- Advanced Farming Practices: Adoption of precision agriculture, satellite-enabled irrigation, scientific nursery management, and integrated pest control.
- Research and Innovation Support: Backing from the India–Israel Innovation Centre for Agriculture (IINCA) to provide technical and research inputs.
- Human Capital Development: On-site farmer training programmes and the launch of 20 joint fellowships for Indian agricultural researchers in Israel.
Relevance and Impact
- Contributes to enhancement of farmers’ income by improving yields and reducing production inefficiencies.
- Strengthens agricultural cooperation as a key pillar of the enhanced India–Israel partnership focused on innovation, peace, and prosperity.
Source : DD News