07 Nov 2019 Gwalior (MP): A three-day ‘Green-Ag project’ National Inception Workshop was held between 7-9 November 2019 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh to inform and orient operational partners and key relevant government officials in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) and Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) on the project. The Green-Ag project aims to catalyse sustainable transformation of Indian agriculture, without compromising the country’s food security and farmers’ income. The project seeks to mainstream biodiversity, climate change, and sustainable land management objectives and practices into Indian agriculture. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) through its sixth funding cycle funds the Green-Ag Project. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW) is the National Executing Agency and FAO is the designated GEF Implementing Agency. The Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is the GEF Operational Focal Point and coordinates all GEF projects in the country. The Green-Ag Project will be implemented in five high-conservation-value landscapes in five states: Chambal Landscape of Madhya Pradesh; Dampa Landscape of Mizoram; Similipal Landscape of Odisha; Desert National Park Landscape of Rajasthan; and Rajaji Corbett Landscape of Uttarakhand with a total budget of USD 33 558 716 which is being funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The project duration is from 9 August 2019 to 8 August 2026. In its two days of technical sessions, the project overview and rationale, implementation arrangements, reporting requirements, roles and responsibilities of different project partners and some critical concepts like landscape approach, communication strategy and plan, monitoring protocols which are vital for better and efficacious implementation of the project were discussed in details. The inaugural session of the Green-Ag Project was attended by Dr. Alka Bhargava, Additional Secretary, DAC&FW; Ms. Namita Priyadarshee, Chairperson, National Project Monitoring Unit cum Joint Secretary, NRM and RFS, MoA&FW. Hon’ble Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar subsequently joined the session. Mr. Tomio Shichiri, FAO Representative in India gave the welcome remarks. He highlighted that the project aims to mainstream biodiversity, climate change, and sustainable land management objectives and practices into the Indian agricultural sector, as well as seeks to harmonize priorities and investments between India’s agricultural and environmental sectors. The other participants were representatives from the FAO Headquarters and Regional office; officials from the Department of Agriculture and Department of Forestry from the five implementing state, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand; FAO country office and the Green-Ag National Project Management Unit (NPMU). In the end, Mr. RB Sinha, Project Director, Green-Ag project, proposed the vote of thanks to all the participants and hoped this successful workshop would mark the beginning of a meaningful and productive partnership towards attainment of global environmental benefits.