India (or, for that matter South Asia) has been described as a rich place but inhabited by poor (especially in the rural areas). In their race to catch up with the developed world, the rulers in the Indian subcontinent simply forgot that a SYSTEM (and a proper INFRASTRUCTURE) has to be in place in the teeming villages/towns to prevent an ensuing chaos.
At this juncture, Israel’s expertise in the field of agriculture can be of great help. Martin Sherman, a research fellow in the School of Government at Tel Aviv University and the academic director of the Jerusalem Summit think-tank (who was also advisor to the Israeli Minister of Agriculture), has made some interesting observations in PRAGATI – THE INDIAN NATIONAL INTEREST REVIEW.
Sherman believes: “If addressed with a prudent mix of resolve and intelligence, of political will and intellectual force, the development of India’s rural sector could be one of the most momentous undertakings of this century—with unprecedented spin-offs for those involved with it.
“A previous article in Pragati (‘The India-Israel imperative’, No 16 |Jul 2008) had pointed to the remarkable compatibility between the aspirations of modern India and its leaders on the one hand, and the areas in which Israel has acquired exceptional expertise on the other. This is graphically reflected in the slogan ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan’ (Hail Soldier, Hail Farmer, Hail Science).
“In two of these areas, India and Israel already have a well-developed relationship: In the sphere of defence and security matters (reflected by the fact that Israel is India’s second largest supplier of military merchandise) and in the sphere of technology and science (symbolised by last January’s successful launch of an Israeli satellite by an Indian
rocket).
“There thus could be a no more opportune time than the present to turn the attention of both
countries to the third element—the development of close collaborative ties devoted to advancement of agriculture and the enhancement of the lives and livelihoods of those engaged in it, and dependent on it across the subcontinent—and to impart to the call “Jai Kisan” the
genuine significance it merits.”
To read the full article please click here….
Meanwhile the desert of Rajasthan in the north of India is to be planted with a million olive trees grown in Israel in an effort to transform the landscape and the fortunes of its struggling farmers. More here…
“The countries are finalising a three-year plan on agriculture that will introduce several crops associated with the Middle East and Mediterranean to India. It is hoped that the sub-continent — more famous today for its mangoes and spices — will become an exporter of olive oil by 2011.”
More on India-Israel relations…
In a related article in the NYT, Somini Sengupta writes that malnutrition is worse in India than in many sub-Saharan African countries, a paradox in a proud democracy. Please see here…
Swaraaj Chauhan describes his two-decade-long stint as a full-time journalist as eventful, purposeful, and full of joy and excitement. In 1993 he could foresee a different work culture appearing on the horizon, and decided to devote full time to teaching journalism (also, partly, with a desire to give back to the community from where he had enriched himself so much.)
Alongside, he worked for about a year in 1993 for the US State Department’s SPAN magazine, a nearly five-decade-old art and culture monthly magazine promoting US-India relations. It gave him an excellent opportunity to learn about things American, plus the pleasure of playing tennis in the lavish American embassy compound in the heart of New Delhi.
In !995 he joined WWF-India as a full-time media and environment education consultant and worked there for five years travelling a great deal, including to Husum in Germany as a part of the international team to formulate WWF’s Eco-tourism policy.
He taught journalism to honors students in a college affiliated to the University of Delhi, as also at the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication where he lectured on “Development Journalism” to mid-career journalists/Information officers from the SAARC, African, East European and Latin American countries, for eight years.
In 2004 the BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST) selected him as a Trainer/Mentor for India under a European Union project. In 2008/09 He completed another European Union-funded project for the BBC WST related to Disaster Management and media coverage in two eastern States in India — West Bengal and Orissa.
Last year, he spent a couple of months in Australia and enjoyed trekking, and also taught for a while at the University of South Australia.
Recently, he was appointed as a Member of the Board of Studies at Chitkara University in Chandigarh, a beautiful city in North India designed by the famous Swiss/French architect Le Corbusier. He also teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students there.
He loves trekking, especially in the hills, and never misses an opportunity to play a game of tennis. The Western and Indian classical music are always within his reach for instant relaxation.
And last, but not least, is his firm belief in the power of the positive thought to heal oneself and others.