Indo-Dutch Partnership to Revolutionize Horticulture

Why in news?

India’s horticulture sector to get hi-tech boost with Dutch initiative for pesticide-free food production in high-end green houses.

• Aim – To introduce high-tech, sustainable greenhouse technology for the production of pesticide-free food, using advanced systems like AI and IoT for precision agriculture.
• Collaboration between – India + Netherlands government via HortiRoad2India.

HortiRoad2India, a public-private partnership consortium, aimed at transforming the Indian horticulture & agriculture sectors through Dutch technology, innovation, and knowledge sharing.

Key Details

• Technology Focus – It emphasizes Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), offer mid-tech & high-tech greenhouse technologies (including glass houses) with advanced climate control, automation, AI for precision farming.
• No Chemical pesticide – This technology uses biological pest control methods, entirely avoiding chemical pesticides.
• Sustainability – The technology designed to use up to 96% less water compared to open-field cultivation and gets 30 times more yield for certain crops, improving energy efficiency.
• Pilot Projects & implementation – After a 3-year study of the Indian market, an actionable blueprint for projects has been developed, will serve as scalable models for region-specific needs..
  • 1^st fully operational high-tech greenhouse pilot projects - expected to be operational by the end of 2026 in states like Karnataka, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu.
• Develop clusters near big cities – To ensure a steady, year-round supply of safe, healthy produce to meet rising urban and middle-class demand in India while reducing transportation costs.
• Crops & Market – The high-tech greenhouses are proposed for high-value crops such as strawberries, colored capsicum, cherry tomatoes, microgreens, and lettuce.
• Economic Viability – Despite high initial setup costs, the initiative projects a return on investment exceeding 25%, with financial models in place through Indian banks to support investor participation.
• Challenges – It address major challenges in Indian agriculture - including food safety, post-harvest losses, and water scarcity—while boosting farmer incomes and advancing climate-smart practices.

References

1. The Hindu | India’s horticulture sector to get hi-tech boost
2. HortiRoad2India | HortiRoad2India
3. PIB |Horticulture: Strengthening India’s Agri-Economy