The state government has urged the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to consider over Rs 1,000 phase-II of the HP Crop Diversification Promotion Project (HPCDP) for Himachal Pradesh.

Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) Dr Shrikant Baldi, Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) advocated that this will help the lessons learnt model developed under the ongoing JICA project are extended to all the 12 districts of the state.

He was addressing a visiting delegation of 13 Afghan officers and JICA-India, in Shimla on Wednesday that met him under the leadership of JICA-India Principal Development Specialist Subroto Takuldar.

Baldi said that HP government is grateful to JICA and the Union government for providing assistance of Rs 321 Crore to this hilly state under the ongoing HP Crop Diversification Promotion Project for enhancing the socio-economic conditions of farming families in five districts-Mandi, Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur and Una since 2011.

He further said that under the ongoing project very good work has been done promoting micro-irrigation, solar water lifting, construction of farm access roads, collection centres and the creation of irrigation potential in 4,600-hectare area.

The farming Community has been organised into Krishak Vikas Associations (KVAs) who are operating and maintaining the irrigation system themselves. The ownership of the irrigation systems have been completely transferred to them.

The Afghan officers were in the HPCDP area from 24 to 28 February, which was exposed to provision of irrigation facilities followed by adoption of crop diversification and post harvest technologies systems through KVAs and Self Help Groups (SHGs).

Dr JC Rana, Chief Project Advisor and Dr VK Sharma, the Project Director, the consultants of the Technical Cooperation Project of JICA-India and the subject matter specialists conducted the exposure visits and the training to the visiting Afghan officers.

The visiting delegation from Afghanistan extended their thanks to Dr Baldi for his leadership and support through HPCDP, who is heading the Executive Committee of the organisation that is implementing the project.