ICRISAT Centre of Excellence for South-South Cooperation in Agriculture (ISSCA)

ICRISAT Centre of Excellence for South-South Cooperation in Agriculture (ISSCA): Recently, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), in partnership with the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), launched the ICRISAT Centre of Excellence for South-South Cooperation in Agriculture (ISSCA).

• About ICRISAT: Non-profit, non-political organization focused on agricultural research for development in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

o HQ in Hyderabad, Telangana, India.

o Member of the CGIAR Consortium, a global partnership of 15 research centers working towards food security.

o Provides improved crop varieties and hybrids to farmers and supports smallholder farmers in dryland regions to combat climate change.

o Empowers poor farmers to overcome poverty, hunger, and environmental degradation through sustainable agriculture.

o Conducts research aimed at environmental protection.

• About ISSCA: Aims to serve as a dynamic hub for:

o Facilitating sharing of insights and expertise among developing nations.

o Promoting the adoption of tested agricultural innovations across regions.

o Building collaborative networks among stakeholders in the Global South.

• As part of this initiative, ICRISAT entered into a strategic MoU with DAKSHIN (Development and Knowledge Sharing Initiative) — a Government of India platform that promotes capacity building and collaborative development among countries of the Global South.