Agriculture is the backbone of India’s economy; Need to transform entire agri-food system to ensure sustainability: Takayuki Hagiwara, FAO Representative in India

Nov 30, 2024

NEW DELHI, 30 November 2024: Addressing the 4th Sustainable Agriculture Awards 2024, Mr. Takayuki Hagiwara, FAO Representative in India, yesterday emphasized that agriculture remains the backbone of India’s economy, supporting over 60 per cent of rural livelihoods. He stated that FAO advocates for transforming not just agriculture but the entire agri-food system in India. To achieve this transformation, he stressed the importance of collaboration on sustainable practices throughout the entire value chain, from production to consumption.

 

"India is renowned for its IT expertise and has immense potential in promoting digital agriculture," added Mr Hagiwara. He further noted that this transformation requires a unified effort across government, industry, and communities to ensure the future of agriculture and its contribution to a sustainable economy.

 

Mr Siraj Hussain, Advisor - Food Processing, FICCI, and Former Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, said that there is a need to develop technologies that preserve and increase yields across various sectors, including field agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, poultry, and dairy. “These innovations will promote sustainable practices and support allied sectors,” he added.

 

Mr Pravesh Sharma, Chairman of the FICCI Taskforce on FPOs and Director, Samunnati, outlined the critical need for a comprehensive approach to sustainability, emphasizing the need to look at sustainability in agriculture from a three-pronged approach- economic sustainability, environmental sustainability, and social sustainability.

 

Ms Anuja Kadian, India Chair of the BRICS WBA Working Group on Food Security and Environmental Safety, and Chair of the FICCI Taskforce on Sustainable Agriculture, said, “Empowering farmers with sustainable products and technologies is pivotal at a juncture when India is championing sustainable agriculture development at the global stage. It's time to push the throttle towards building a conducive ecosystem for agriculture to contribute to viksit bharat agenda.”

 

The event also saw the release of the FICCI-YES BANK Report titled “Boosting Sustainability in Indian Agriculture: A Compendium of Impactful Private Sector-led Initiatives”. YES BANK was the knowledge partner for the event and presented on the findings of the compendium post the release.

 

FICCI Sustainable Agriculture Awards were announced during the event. Launched in 2021, the FICCI Sustainable Agriculture Awards recognize impactful farmer engagement programs that promote sustainability, enhance income, sustainable sourcing and address climate resilience. Over the last four years, 80 organizations have been honored for driving positive change in agriculture. At the 4th edition of the summit, these awards celebrated innovative solutions that are advancing sustainable practices and shaping the future of Indian agriculture.