As part of a series of research collaborative programmes in the Indian scientific community, the Indo-Dutch relationship is all set to get a fillip in agri-biotechnology research. Union minister for science and technology Kapil Sibal will be signing a MoU on March 28 with the Netherlands government for scientific collaborations, which will pave way for intensifying scientific cooperation between Dutch universities, research organisations, NGOs, and their counterparts in India. The first ongoing Dutch project, Andhra Pradesh-Netherlands Biotechnology Programme (APNLBP), which has received Rs 45 crore as Dutch grant, is expected to play an important role in facilitating collaborations between Indian and Dutch institutions. In fact, the Agri Biotech Foundation (ABF), a society registered under the Andhra Pradesh Societies Registration Act, 2001 and engaged in the pursuit of biotechnological research in agriculture, is responsible for implementation of APNLBP, which has been in operation for more than 12 years. Since the early 1990s, the Dutch public policy perception has been that the potential of agricultural biotechnology can help redress the problems of food insecurity in developing countries. With this objective in view, Dutch assistance was made available to India, Columbia, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. The Indian programme focusses on the Andhra Pradesh agri-biotech programme. Meanwhile, APNLBP has so far been implemented in two phases starting from November 1995 with a total grant of Rs 45 crore. During the last 12 years, the programme has set up 75 research projects in collaboration with universities in Andhra Pradesh, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutions at Rajendranagar, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Departments of Andhra Pradesh, NGOs, and farmers groups. As many as 12 new technologies benefiting 30,000 farmers, in 200 villages in Mahaboobnagar and Nalgonda districts have been delivered and many more technologies are in the pipeline, which are likely to benefit the farming communities. In fact, a delegation from the Netherlands along with the Ambassador Bob Hiensch visited Hyderabad last week for a review of the project. Incidentally, the agreement on APNLBP is coming to an end shortly and the Development Cooperation between the two countries has already been concluded. The delegation appeared keen to strengthen the APNLBP under a new policy framework and bilateral cooperation between two countries in science and technology, agriculture, and trade relations.