India, US agree to renew pact on agri-cooperation

US Ambassador to India Richard Verma on Friday called on Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and both agreed to take steps to renew the 2010 agri pact between two countries to include new areas. The Minister expressed interest in the US technology, especially weather forecasting systems for improving preparedness as well as redressal of problems caused by natural calamities.

"Issues of mutual cooperation and also cooperation for ensuring world food security were discussed," said an official statement issued by the Agriculture Ministry.

The two countries agreed to give renewed focus on cooperation in agriculture and take immediate steps for renewing the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in 2010 at the earliest possible with inclusion of new areas in the light of changing requirements and circumstances, it said. "Special emphasis was laid for transforming the structure of the cooperation vis-a-vis the current scenario requiring necessary changes as enshrined in the cooperation agreement signed in 2010," it added. According to the Ministry's statement, the US and India also decided to amicably resolve sanitary and phytosanitary issues between the two countries for enhanced bilateral trade.

The US Ambassador put on record his appreciation of the work done by government of India and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for the Agriculture Food Security Programme, it added.