The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its ex-post-facto approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

between India and Iran for cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors. The MoU was signed on 17^th February, 2018 during the visit of the President of Iran to India.

The MoU provides for cooperation in the areas of agricultural crops, agricultural extension, horticulture, machinery, post harvest technology, plant quarantine measures, credit and cooperation.  It also provides for cooperation in soil conservation and water management, integrated nutrients management, seed technology and agricultural marketing. Livestock improvement, dairy development, animal health and other fields as mutually agreed upon fall within the scope of this MoU. Cooperation will also be effected through exchange of experts, materials and information, exchange of trainees and scientists on study visits/training programmes, facilitation of relevant conferences and workshops and any other means as may be mutually agreed upon.

Under the MoU, a Joint Working Group (JWG) will be formed to monitor the activities carried out in fulfillment of this MoU. The JWG will hold its meeting alternately in India and Iran once in every two years. The MoU will be valid initially for a period of five years and will be automatically extended for a subsequent period of five years unless either party notifies the other party of its intent of terminating it.

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AKT/VBA/SH