In a significant move aimed at boosting agricultural research and farmer income, the Union Cabinet has approved a proposal to establish the South Asia Regional Centre of the International Potato Center (CIP) in Singna, Agra district, Uttar Pradesh. The project, with a total cost of Rs 171 crore, will receive Rs 111.5 crore in financial assistance from the Government of India, while the remaining Rs 60 crore will be funded by CIP itself.
What is CIP and Why is it Important?
The International Potato Center (CIP), headquartered in Lima, Peru, was founded in 1971 and specializes in research and development around potatoes, sweet potatoes, and other root crops. The potato, originally native to the Andes mountains in Latin America, is the third most consumed food crop globally after rice and wheat. India is the second-largest producer and consumer of potatoes in the world, making it a natural choice for the regional hub.
The new Agra-based centre, called CIP-South Asia Regional Centre (CSARC), will be only the second such international facility after China’s center established in 2017. It is also the second global agricultural research institute in India after the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) centre was set up in Varanasi.
Goals and Functions of the Agra Centre
The CSARC aims to:
- Increase food and nutritional security
- Boost farmers’ income
- Promote job creation in the agriculture sector
- Improve potato and sweet potato productivity
- Strengthen post-harvest management and value addition
It will also work on developing climate-resilient, disease-free varieties of potatoes and sweet potatoes suitable for Indian and South Asian agro-climatic conditions. The centre is expected to reduce India’s dependency on imported seeds and provide access to CIP’s vast genetic resources and innovation networks.
Why This Matters for India
Despite being a global leader in potato production, India’s average yield is only 25 tonnes per hectare, while the potential exceeds 50 tonnes per hectare. Similarly, sweet potato yield is just 11.5 tonnes per hectare, far below the potential 30 tonnes. This productivity gap is largely due to limited access to quality seeds and research.
The Agra centre will be pivotal in:
- Enhancing domestic seed production
- Supporting export potential for potato-based products
- Assisting local food processing industries
- Providing technical expertise and capacity building to farmers across South Asia
Political and Regional Support
Uttar Pradesh, which produced 15 million tonnes of potatoes in 2020-21, is one of the top potato-producing states, along with West Bengal and Bihar. Recognizing this, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had earlier written to the Centre, urging the establishment of the CIP centre in the state.
The state has now provided 10 hectares of land for the project in Singna village, near Agra.
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