LUDHIANA, 13 October 2016 : A joint venture firm of Bharti Enterprises & Del Monte Pacific Limited, FieldFresh Foods has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) to carry out Corn Productivity Research Programme.
The programme will be Under the MoU, collaborative research will examine the relationship between the genetic make-up, environmental factors and crop management of corn in order to develop a production system that is more resilient and helps reduce production costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
The MoU was signed between by Yogesh Bellani, CEO, FieldFresh Foods and Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University recently.
The programme will be funded by Cambridge University and Bharti Foundation for which the MoU was also signed.
The three-year programme will aim at enhancing corn crop yield and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.
Under the project, FieldFresh will also fund a Post-Doctoral Fellowship to conduct field trials at FieldFresh’s Agri Centre of Excellence (ACE) in Ladhowal (Ludhiana), Punjab, where the company is currently running various crop management trials and partners with farmers to improve overall crop economics.
The Post-Doctoral Fellow will work under the mentorship of PAU Scientists.
Speaking on the partnership, Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University, said, “The research programme aims to improve effectiveness of technology used in agriculture to increase productivity, and improve farmer wellbeing by providing better income prospects."
“Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood for about 58 per cent of India’s population and investment in crop research would greatly benefit India farmers," Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Vice Chairman, Bharti Enterprises said.
"This partnership with Punjab Agricultural University reiterates our commitment to promote agriculture to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth,” Mittal stressed.
Yogesh Bellani, CEO, FieldFresh Foods, said, “The partnership will allow us to work in collaboration with a premier institute towards achieving the larger cause of sustainable agriculture in the country.”
The research findings of the project will be further translated into guidance for small farmers in India to promote sustainability, financial stability and to eradicate food shortages. Additionally, the research outcomes will be shared with other stakeholders.
