Iffco to help ink new India-Africa farm cooperation

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New Delhi, Nov 9: India and African nations are slated to open a new chapter for cooperation in agriculture and rural development. The initiative in this direction is being taken by a fertiliser cooperative - Iffco.

Iffco, along with its outfit Ficco Foundation and the Union agriculture ministry, has planned a three-day conclave of African farm ministers beginning November 10. Leaders from about 28 African nations and a sizeable number of corporate houses are slated to participate in the conference

Thematic areas for discussions would include policy reforms, investment in agriculture, farm institutions, infrastructure, employment of women and strategies for 'inclusive growth', public-private-farmer market partnership and enabling mechanisms and regulations.

The conclave would identify specific activities for cooperation in areas such as soil testing, soil health monitoring and integrated nutrient management through health cards, watershed management, water conservation, post-harvest management and the creation of special agri zones (SAZs). In India there are already 60 agri export zones (AEZs), but the growth of these zones have suffered on account of the apathy of the government and the private sector. However, instead of rejuvenating the AEZs, a new concept of SAZs is being floated.

The former Union minister for fertilisers and environment and the chairman of the steering committee of the conference, Suresh Prabhu said, "The World Food Security Conference and the India-Africa Forum Summit Declaration of April 2008 have provided an excellent framework for preparing specific need-based action plans for optimising food production in the congenial breadbasket as well as in non-congenial rain-fed dryland areas, thus unlocking Africa's potential and also promoting inclusive development."

RB Singh, an agriculture scientist, who was formally with the FAO and now the secretary of the conference steering committee, said that the conclave would initiate a dialogue process between Indian and African leaders, identify development partners and prepare a roadmap for implementation with stakeholders in addressing food insecurity and poverty reduction issues. Mobilising financial resources, and identifying the mechanism of fund flow, monitoring and outcome assessment and mid-course corrections in the context of the goal of an India-Africa partnership would also be discussed