India to host Global Agro-Industries Forum

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New Delhi, April 7:: The four-day meeting of the Global Agro-Industries Forum (GAIF) is slated to begin here from Tuesday. The GAIF-2008 with the theme – Improving Competitiveness and Development Impact – is being organized by the first time by UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in collaboration with the Union ministries of agriculture, food processing industries and commerce and industry.

About 500 delegates from 100 countries, including senior government officials, leaders of food industry and scientists are slated to participate in the event

Briefing mediapersons the FAO director for rural infrastructure and agro-industries, Geoffrey C Mrema said : "The Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh will be conferred with the FAO's highest award – Agricola Medal on April 10 by the FAO director-general, Jacques Diouf."

The event will have three plenary sessions, 12 round tables, 5 regional strategy workshops. It would be formally inaugurated by the Union agriculture minister, Sharad Pawar on April 9.

UNIDO director Sergio M Miranda-da-Cruz said : "Our effort is encourage small and medium sized industries in rural areas so that wastages can be avoided and value addition done and thereby farmers benefit."

The secretary in the Union agriculture ministry, PK Mishra said that it would a good opportunity to discuss development of Indian agriculture in global context. The most important thing was to provide marketing infrastructure for farm produces, he said.

Rene Frechet of IFAD said that his organization was helping seven projects across the world.