New Delhi: IIT Delhi, an Institution of Eminence, and African-Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO) signed an MoU on Wednesday to cooperate and collaborate with each other for agricultural and rural development by addressing the challenges through technological interventions and capacity enhancement.
The collaboration aims to strengthen the rural communities, farmers, executives, functionaries and policy makers of the Member Countries in Africa and Asia.
The MoU was signed by His Excellency, Dr Manoj Nardeosingh, Secretary General, AARDO and Prof. V Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi.
The cooperation between IIT Delhi and AARDO will be in the following main areas:
Technological Interventions, Bio-energy, Biomass, Biogas, Ecological Sanitation, Food
Quality & Safety, Sustainable Agriculture, Sustainable Housing, Food Processing & Valueaddition, Water & Waste Management, towards Development, Diffusion, Transfer and
Adoption of Innovative/Appropriate Technologies, etc.
IIT Delhi’s Centre for Rural Development and Technology (CRDT), an outreach centre of
the Institute to address challenges faced by rural communities and to improve their quality
of life, will play the key role in making the collaboration with AARDO successful.
The CRDT has made significant contributions by developing and transferring technologies
in areas including algal bio-energy, biomass technologies, biogas technologies, ecological
sanitation, food quality and safety, sustainable agriculture, sustainable housing, valueadded food products, water and waste management etc.
Welcoming the MoU with IIT Delhi, His Excellency, Dr. Manoj Nardeosingh, Secretary
General, AARDO said, “Most AARDO member countries would immensely benefit from the
synergy foreseen with the merger of both IIT Delhi and AARDO networks by leveraging on
technological solutions developed by India’s eminent specialists and appropriate
interventions to transform rural areas in Africa & Asia and hence, assisting them in achieving
inclusive growth, UNSDGs and AU 2063.”
Prof V Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi said, “IIT Delhi puts strong emphasis on investing
in research areas of social and national importance such as Rural Development. This
collaboration would facilitate the diffusion of high end technologies to strengthen the rural
communities. Goal is to connect our student, faculty and startup communities with problems
in the rural areas in African nations so that win-win partnerships can be developed between
all the stakeholders. Center for Rural Development and Technologies (CRDT) at IIT Delhi is
expected to take a lead in this collaboration.”
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY DELHI PAGE | 2
Prof. Anushree Malik, Head, CRDT said, “I am sure the collaboration with AARDO, initiated
by CRDT and Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA), will widen our network in the African-Asian
region and provide us a unique platform for consultation and dissemination of appropriate
technologies”
Under the MoU, IIT Delhi and AARDO have also agreed to,
Organize international, regional and On-The-Spot (OTS)/in-country training
programmes / workshops to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Member
countries in sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development.
Joint Implementation of Tech-based Development Pilot Projects by utilizing each
other’s human, technical and financial resources, subject to modalities, towards
achieving common goals.
Conducting research and action research studies of specific or common interest.
Exchange of experts for sharing knowledge, expertise and experiences.
Exchange of Scholars/Students/Volunteers to assist in adoption of technology
solutions.
Exchange programmes and internships for students with universities and institutes in
the Member countries.