New Delhi: India has signed a $98 million loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to enhance the productivity and quality of horticulture crops across the nation.

The Ministry of Finance announced on Friday that this funding will support the creation of disease-free planting material systems, aiming to increase crop yields, improve quality, and build resilience against climate change.

"The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) today signed a $98 million loan to improve horticulture crop farmers' access to certified disease-free planting materials, which will boost their crops' yield, quality, and resilience to climate impacts," the ministry said.

The agreement is part of the "Building India’s Clean Plant Programme" and was signed by Juhi Mukherjee, Joint Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Kai Wei Yeo, Officer-in-Charge of ADB's India Resident Mission.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mukherjee emphasized the critical role of plant health in enhancing farmers' productivity. "ADB funding will promote plant health that is vital for improving productivity of farmers," she said.

Yeo underlined the alignment of this project with the Government of India’s Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Programme (CPP), which aims to strengthen plant health management systems.

"It will help develop regulatory frameworks and institutional systems to effectively implement the CPP for horticulture in India. The project will involve close collaboration with private nurseries, researchers, state governments, and growers' associations to ensure its success and sustainability," Yeo added.

The project seeks to establish state-of-the-art clean plant centers equipped with advanced laboratories for disease diagnostics, staffed by trained specialists. These centers will maintain disease-free foundation materials and introduce a clean plant certification scheme. Accredited private nurseries will undergo testing and certification to ensure that farmers receive high-quality planting materials.

Beyond boosting productivity, the initiative will help farmers adapt to the growing challenges of climate change. Rising temperatures are altering pest and disease behavior, making disease-free planting materials essential for long-term resilience.

"The plant health management promoted through the project will also help farmers adapt to climate change, as rising temperatures not only cause extreme weather events but also affect pest and disease behavior," the ministry said.

The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in collaboration with the National Horticulture Board and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

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