Thaindian News

New Delhi, July 19 (IANS) The drizzle stopped and the sun came out as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived at an agricultural research institute Sunday to watch some paddy sowing and speak on Indo-US farm cooperation - from under the shade of a mulberry tree.
“Look at the co-incidence - Hillary under a mulberry,” quipped a senior scientist at the National Agricultural Science Centre (NASC) on Pusa Road, watching Clinton standing along with Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar under the dense shade of a dark green mulberry tree at the institute campus.

Clinton, who arrived in a black luxury car (numbered 77 CD 1), was nearly 90 minutes late. She had come to observe direct seeding of paddy, a few high yielding rice and grain varieties that require less water for cultivation and meet senior scientists.

“I am delighted to be in this prestigious institute and partner India in agriculture. India’s experience in agriculture is unsurpassable. With only three percent of the land area, it feeds 17 percent of (global) people. India’s leadership is crucial,” Clinton said.

She said that G8 countries had pledged “$20 billion to end global hunger, of which $3.5 billion is the share of US”. She said hunger can be ended by improving farm produce through innovative technology, improved seeds and proper preservation of food grains.

“Agriculture is a pillar of our five-pillar discussion (with India). We want to expand our partnership to produce better seeds, grains, farm technology. There is no limit to new explorations in agriculture with India. I am committed to this effort,” she said.

US-India relations in agriculture go back to 50 years. The US has helped India in setting up its first agricultural varsity in Uttar Pradesh (G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology) and helped with the Green Revolution in the 1960s. Currently India has 40 agricultural universities.