IDH and the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, have officially sealed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), establishing a pivotal collaboration aiming to accelerate sustainable development practices through public-private-community partnerships across India.
This agreement follows a series of successful engagements at the state and provincial levels and marks a significant milestone in fostering an ambitious partnership between IDH and a national government entity.
A key aspect of this collaboration involves establishing a national knowledge secretariat that will serve as a focal point for bolstering the Ministry’s capacity to facilitate inclusive and resilient value chain development. IDH and the Ministry will jointly create a comprehensive ‘playbook’ to provide guidelines for state governments on effective planning and engagement in landscape partnerships.
IDH’s Madhya Pradesh’s Regenerative Production Landscape Collaborative and Karnataka’s coffee-spice landscape will also serve as models showcasing best practices and successes, along with 2-3 other states nominated by the Ministry to join in piloting and deriving learnings for the guidelines.
The MOU outlines shared areas of interest, focusing on community development, climate change adaptation, resilience, and mitigation aligned with Intended National Determined Contributions (INDC), as well as attracting new markets seeking responsibly and sustainably sourced products.
One of the core objectives is to build capacities for private sector engagement in Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and investments in supply chains and smallholders, ultimately attracting more investments for farmers and communities in de-risked and supported agricultural production areas. Additionally, there is a vision to brand regions as hubs for sustainable and quality production by establishing credibility and assurance systems.
“Today marks a significant step towards driving sustainable and inclusive growth in India,” expressed Jagjeet Singh Kandal, Country Director – India, at IDH. “We are thrilled to collaborate with the Ministry of Rural Development, and together, we are committed to fostering a brighter, more sustainable future through sustainable landscape development.”
Stay tuned for updates and progress on this groundbreaking partnership as IDH and the Ministry of Rural Development embark on this transformative journey toward sustainable and resilient development in India.