German ambassador highlights Andhra's role in sustainable farming revolution

Philipp Ackermann, the German Ambassador to India, recently spoke about the ongoing agricultural collaboration between Germany and Andhra Pradesh, emphasizing the importance of sustainable and efficient farming practices. He stated, "Agriculture is an important area here. Germany is active here. Already together with the Government, we are trying to make farming more efficient and sustainable. So, there are programmes here to convince farmers to go to natural farming and get efficiency up. That's a big project we are doing together with the Indian government and as far as I know, this project has been very successful so far."

He also shared insights about his visit, saying, "I met with the Chief Minister, that was basically the reason for my trip. Then we met with the Director of the Investment Agency here. We had a long discussion with him. We also met other people around. So, I will come back to Andhra very soon because I want to see Visakhapatnam also and Kadapa district, where some German projects are going on. It's a state to discover."

Regarding his impressions, Ackermann noted, "I wanted to come to Andhra to meet the local Government because I feel this is a very important state. It's a powerhouse of India, and it's important to know what's going on in Andhra. I'm very impressed with what I've seen and what I've felt so far. I think it's an extremely exciting state, full of dynamics, ideas and great plans. We had a wonderful discussion with the Chief Minister. I think it was high time that I came. My visit is important and when I get back to Delhi to report on what I have seen and experienced in Andhra Pradesh."

Ambassador Ackermann also shared on social media, "Great discussion with AP CM Naidu today. Impressed by the state's ambitious plans on technology, sustainability, infrastructure and agriculture - and where Germany can play a role!"

In a broader conversation, Ackermann highlighted Germany's commitment to supporting Indian agriculture through knowledge exchange and development projects, aiming to modernize farming, promote organic practices, and facilitate exports of Indian produce to Germany. He expressed great respect for the Indian farming community and the potential progress achievable through this bilateral cooperation.

Ongoing projects

German-Indian agricultural collaboration projects in Andhra Pradesh are still ongoing and are considered a successful model of sustainable development. The partnership focuses on promoting natural farming techniques that improve soil health, increase farmer incomes, and reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers. Germany, through the development bank KfW, has provided substantial financial support, including a loan of nearly EUR 90 million and a EUR 1 million grant, to scale up the Andhra Pradesh Community-Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) program, aiming to convert all six million farms in the state to sustainable natural farming within a decade.

The project includes scientific research and education components via the Indo-German Global Academy for Agroecology Research and Learning (IGGAARL) in Kadapa district, which trains “farmer scientists” to apply and adapt agroecological practices. Ambassador Philipp Ackermann has praised the progress and ambition of Andhra Pradesh and indicated plans for continued engagement and expansion of cooperation.

Thus, the collaboration is active, financially backed, and considered a significant contributor to sustainable agriculture and rural development in Andhra Pradesh.