NAHEP has been formulated by ICAR with a total cost of US$ 165 million for five years starting from 2017-18. The project is proposed on a 50:50 cost-sharing basis between the World Bank and the Government of India, implemented at the Education Division, ICAR, New Delhi. Overall, the project aims to develop resources and mechanism for supporting infrastructure, faculty and student advancement and providing means for better governance and management of agricultural universities, so that a holistic model can be developed to raise the standard of current agricultural education system that provides more jobs and is entrepreneurship oriented and on par with the global agriculture education standards. There are four key components under NAHEP, namely; Institutional Development Plan (IDP), Centres for Advanced Agricultural Sciences and Technology (CAAST), ICAR to support excellence in agricultural universities (AUs), and ICAR Innovation Grants to AUs. It is envisaged that improved AU performance through quality enhancement, better employment and entrepreneurship opportunities created for agriculture graduates, non-accredited AUs attaining ICAR accreditation, and institutional reforms implemented in education division of ICAR and AUs under these components together shall contribute to the achievement of the overall program objective.

Under CAAST component, select accredited AUs have been awarded projects for the establishment of Centres for Advance Agricultural Science and Technology. These Centres would be multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary in nature for teaching, research and extension on critical and emerging issues of agriculture. Like other components of NAHEP, the selection process of CAAST projects has been made on the basis of competition and performance. The key provisions for funding under CAAST include research and teaching equipment, faculty and scientist development fellowships, postgraduate student scholarships, and the costs associated with twinning arrangements with similar centers both nationally and internationally.  It is envisaged that the support and efforts under CAAST would strengthen agricultural higher education with better employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for agriculture graduates.

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is an integral component of the National Agricultural Higher Education projects (NAHEP). Among multiple activities, M&E is one of the key functions of Project Implementation Unit (PIU), established at the education division of ICAR. In order to manage day-to-day M&E activities of NAHEP, a Central monitoring and evaluation cell has been established within PIU.

The Central M&E unit at PIU comprises of National Coordinator –M&E, M&E consultants (external agency), domain experts and research associates. This unit has prepared M&E framework in consultation with World Bank (WB) and National Coordinators of key components of NAHEP. M&E cell of NAHEP has also been developing the Project Monitoring and Tracking System(PMTS) for M&E-related support to the PIU.

Agriculture is the mainstay of Indian economy as almost 65-70% of the population directly or indirectly depends on agriculture. Despite the fact that India is doing remarkably well and achieved near self sufficiency in primary agriculture the country must now focus attention on secondary agriculture which can add two to three fold value to primary agriculture. The Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat bagged a CAAST project entitled “Establishment of Secondary Agriculture Unit for Skill development in Students and Farmers” on competitive basis during 2017-18. Secondary Agriculture is often regarded as the sunrise sector of Indian economy owing to its immense untapped potential. Secondary Agriculture sector has a major role to play in employment generation, poverty alleviation and product diversification including utilization waste.

Secondary agriculture is one of the most productive ways of improving farm income. It not only supplements primary agriculture, but complements it, in fact, secondary agriculture adds two to three-fold value to primary agriculture. The emphasis in secondary agriculture is on post-harvest technologies, value addition to primary agriculture production system; enterprise linked to rural non-farm activities and enterprises thriving on utilization of crop, tree, animal wastes into high-value added products. Secondary agriculture can provide new avenues of income to the growers/processors through exports, product diversification and by adding value to farm waste. It also creates employment opportunities to rural youth and it help in enhancing rural economy.

The World Bank and Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi have offered a unique opportunity to Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari for developing, strengthening and promoting Secondary Agriculture in India. Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari was the first agricultural university in Gujarat to bag a project under Component 1(b) of NAHEP in 2018 which pertains to the establishment of “Centres for Advanced Agricultural Sciences and Technology”. Under this project, NAU, Navsari is focusing on Processing and Waste Utilization in Horticultural Produce; Scientific Utilization of Non-Timber Forest Products and Medicinal and Aromatic Plants; Establishment of Small Scale Climate Resilient Dairy Unit and Pesticide Residue Analysis. Competence Building, Product Development and Commercialization of Technology in Secondary Agriculture would pave the way for better business opportunities and employability among PG students of agriculture sector. Under this Project, NAU, Navsari has embarked on innovative and collaborative research with public and private players to improve the quality of need based research and its impact on Secondary Agriculture