New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited (CFCL) and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) on Monday signed an agreement for research, to establish the “CFCL-TERI Centre of Excellence for Advanced and Sustainable Agriculture Solutions”.
The agreement was signed by Abhay Baijal, Managing Director, CFCL, and Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI.
The joint initiative of CFCL and TERI aims to address the pressing challenges in the Indian agriculture sector, such as stagnating agricultural productivity, soil health degradation, poor nutrient use efficiency, reduced response (resistance) to chemicals, and negative impact of excessive synthetic inputs on the environment and human health.
This has been done by developing innovative biogenic solutions such as nano-biotechnology-based alternative fertilisers, bio-fertilisers, bio-stimulants, and biological control agents and biopesticides which would have no negative impact on the environment and human health and provide improved benefit-to-cost ratio to farmers.
With the grant-in-aid from CFCL over five years, TERI will carry out end-to-end research, and products will be jointly developed to provide biological solutions as a complement to chemical agri-inputs.
Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI, emphasised the significance of this initiative, saying, “The ever-increasing population poses food-security challenges, and by 2050 the world needs to increase food production by 70 per cent. Traditional chemicals alone cannot increase food production and protect crops from pathogens.”
“The Indian government under the PM PRANAAM scheme is continuously promoting alternative fertilisers and biogenic agri-inputs. TERI is one of the pioneers in this arena, and in collaboration with robust industry partners like CFCL, holds the potential to bring cutting-edge biological solutions to the market to address multiple issues related to food security, human health, and impact on environment and climate.”
Abhay Baijal, Managing Director, CFCL, expressed optimism about the partnership, stating, “The success of Uttam Superrhiza and the encouraging response of Uttam Pranaam Bio-Phosphorous led us to establish this joint Centre of Excellence to promote sustainability through bio-based agricultural solutions in India.”
“This initiative strengthens our long-term partnership with TERI to develop sustainable agriculture bio-solutions that benefit both agriculture and the environment. The Centre of Excellence aligns closely with the Indian government’s BioE3 initiative which aims to promote bio-manufacturing industries. By leveraging TERI’s research capabilities and CFCL’s market expertise, it aims to create innovative, eco-friendly agricultural solutions that enhance soil and environmental health, address climate resilience, and support food security.”
The partnership between CFCL and TERI marks a significant milestone in the journey toward sustainable agriculture, with promising benefits for both the agricultural community and the environment.
–IANS
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