Nauni varsity partners with NCC Georgia to promote Agroecological practices

Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry (UHF), Nauni, has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nuts Cultivation Company (NCC), Georgia, to promote agroecological practices and advance natural farming techniques.

NCC currently manages over 1,000 hectares of almond and hazelnut orchards and is actively involved in training smallholder growers in organic farming practices through the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Vocational Education Training (VET) program. As part of this initiative, NCC aims to integrate Natural Farming techniques to enhance organic practices in Georgia, allowing growers to use locally available resources for plant nutrition and pest management.

The primary goal of this partnership is to develop collaborative efforts between UHF and NCC to promote agroecological practices. Both institutions will exchange academic knowledge and facilitate visits from faculty, natural farming experts, and scholars. A delegation from UHF, led by Vice Chancellor Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel, is currently visiting Georgia to establish a roadmap for future collaboration. The team has already visited several NCC-managed orchards and discussed the potential for transitioning them to natural farming practices in the eastern regions of Georgia, including Kazbechi and Sighnagi.

Prof. Chandel highlighted that UHF Nauni is recognized for its expertise in agroecology and natural farming and is a key partner in the European Union-funded ACROPICS consortium, which comprises 15 members from 13 countries. This consortium aims to reduce chemical pesticide use through innovative agro ecological crop protection methods. Recently, UHF Nauni was also designated as one of the seven Centers of Natural Farming (CoNF) under the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF), a scheme by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, GoI. Furthermore, the university is playing a leading role in the training of agriculture resource personnel.

Prof. Chandel further stated that the university will provide training to NCC on sustainable agroecological practices, specifically focusing on natural farming techniques for almond and hazelnut orchards. NCC will offer financial support for the visits of UHF faculty, experts, and scholars to Georgia. This collaboration promises to significantly contribute to the advancement of sustainable agriculture in both regions through shared knowledge and innovative agroecological practices.