Partnerships, technology and behaviour change key for agriculture growth  

New Delhi. 20 September 2022: India has the potential to become "aatmnirbhar" in agriculture and also meet the food requirement of the world, said Mr Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.  

Speaking during the session, Food for All: From Farm to Fork, during the 3rd edition of LEADS 2022 - a global thought leadership initiative of the industry chamber FICCI, the minister said the country is steadfastly moving ahead in the direction. However, everyone must work together for the goal. "We would like to collaborate. I use this opportunity to invite the international community to join hands with us for the benefit of coming generations," he said. 

He noted that country's agri exports had crossed the milestone of ₹4 lakh crores. "We are working to increase it further," he said. 

Minister Tomar said that the government is constantly working to make the country "aatmnirbhar". As a result, Indian agriculture recorded a robust growth of 3.9% despite the pandemic. In addition, the minister reiterated that the government aims to make Indian agriculture internationally competitive by aiding the small farmers in the country. He alluded to several government programmes to reduce farming-related challenges. "Due to increase in investment in basic infrastructures like irrigation system, storage, warehousing, and cold storage, the Indian agriculture is expected to record robust growth in the coming years," he added.  

On occasion, H.E. Mr Damien O'Connor, Hon'ble Minister for Trade & Export Growth; Agriculture; Biosecurity; Land Information & Rural Communities, New Zealand, alluded to the challenge emanating from climate change. "agricultural emissions from livestock are a real challenge for New Zealand and food systems around the world. It contributes 35% to the global greenhouse gas emissions and 48% to New Zealand's emission profile." 

He also alluded to Global Research Alliance and encouraged Indian parliamentarians "to look at investigating partnering up with a Global Research Alliance" to gather global technologies "in a way that is not seeking to maximise commercial benefit but to maximise the climate change benefit from this collaboration." 

Mr Sanjiv Mehta, President, FICCI and CEO & Managing Director, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), said achieving food and nutrition security is a multifaceted challenge. "Food systems can play a big role in protecting food security and nutrition if careful attention is paid to targeting the poor, reducing inequalities, including gender inequality and incorporating nutrition goals and actions were relevant." 

Dr Anish Shah, Vice President, FICCI and Managing Director and CEO, Mahindra & Mahindra, said the world will have 10 billion people by 2050. "Today, we do not have enough food to provide for everyone, so we have to do a number of things to feed everyone." He pointed to three themes that can help address the challenge. The first is partnerships to reduce carbon footprint and improve productivity. Second, adopting technology to transform agriculture and thirdly, inducing behaviour change.  

Mr Sunny Verghese, Co-Founder and Group CEO, Olam International, said, the biggest priority is to help decarbonise.  

FICCI MEDIA DIVISION