Centre wants to create framework for PPP in farm sector: Agriculture Secy

Manoj Sinha said work on the framework is ongoing, private players are encouraged to share their inputs

With a focus on securing more investments and expertise from the private players in the agriculture sector, the government is keen to create a formal comprehensive framework for Public Private Partnership (PPP) in the sector, a senior government official said.

Speaking at an event organised by industry body Ficci on the issue, Agriculture Secretary Manoj Sinha said work on the framework is currently ongoing and private players are encouraged to share their inputs.

Sinha said it was crucial to have a framework that enabled more private players to easily enter the sector for scaling up central initiatives such as the push to reduce losses in the value chain for farm commodities.

"Several players are working in silos. Being in the government, we can play the role of a conductor in a symphony orchestra. Can we bring about the synergy and work together," Ahuja said addressing an event organised by the industry chamber Ficci here.

For harnessing Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in agriculture, he said the government first expects the industry to have a shared understanding and intention to improve the farm sector.

Secondly, the government expects to have "frameworks" for scaling up interventions in the farm sector and thirdly to work jointly depending on the need, and fourthly to see if agri schemes can be converged to make things viable, he said.

Lastly, the secretary called for synergy between the government and industry in sharing information on agriculture, which at present is partly with either of them.

"There is a lot of information available, but it is disparate. Something is with the government and something with the private. Can we bring that together to help everybody? A lot of people are doing crop estimates, can we share this info so that we have stronger results," he said.