New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal held a meeting with Dr. MJ Khan, Chairman of the Indian Chamber of Food & Agriculture, and discussed initiatives to further enhance the quality of life of the country’s farmers and sharing India’s farm expertise with African countries as part of the goal to boost development of the Global South.

Khan is a prominent Indian agricultural expert and policy analyst. He is a leading voice in agribusiness, agriculture policies, and sustainable development, having pioneered initiatives like the National Policy on Organic Farming and the Global Agriculture Leadership Summit.

“Discussed initiatives to further enhance the quality of life of our farmers, strengthen India’s position in the global agriculture landscape, deepen collaboration with the African region, and share India’s expertise in the sector,” Goyal said in a post on X.

“Also, deliberated on new pathways to enhance agricultural cooperation for long-term food security,” he added.

The India-Africa partnership in agriculture is a strategic alliance focused on enhancing food security through technology transfer, capacity building, and private sector investment. India supports African nations in upgrading agricultural productivity, farm mechanization, and food processing to reduce reliance on food imports, fostering sustainable, resilient agri-food systems across the continent.

India has already taken steps to provide African farmers with training in soil health, water management, and crop production, sharing expertise from its own agricultural advancements. Key focus areas include low-cost technology solutions, farm mechanization (tractors), and improved seed varieties.

India has also extended Lines of Credit (LoCs) for agricultural machinery to countries like Angola and Lesotho, and supports agri-business investments to boost productivity.

The collaboration aims to reduce post-harvest losses and promote climate-smart agricultural practices to address food insecurity. This partnership is key to strengthening food security across the Global South.

Besides, India is also playing a key role in helping African countries with the green energy push. Indian utilities have already begun sharing experience with African counterparts on grid modernisation, energy storage, and the integration of variable renewables. Power Grid Corporation of India, for example, has partnered with Africa50 and other African institutions on transmission projects, which can help pool solar and wind across countries and reduce reliance on isolated fossil fuel plants.

–IANS

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