Mentioning the possibility of co-operation in areas like irrigation and inputs for the produce, Mr. Sanjay Kirloskar, CMD, Kirloskar Brothers Ltd, started the Parallel Session 2 – Agriculture: A Revolution Waiting to Happen, at 4th CII – EXIM BANK Conclave on India – Africa Project Partnership 2008 being held at Taj Palace on Thursday, by stating that the people in Africa were dependent on the agricultural sector for their livelihood.

The second speaker of the session was Mr. K. Prabhakar Reddy, Chairman, National Sugarcane Commodity Council. He highlighted the self-sufficiency that India has achieved in food production. There has been a manifold increase in the yield and production of food grains from 1950-51 to 2003-04. However, the recent years saw some complexities due to unsuitable policies framed from 1990-2006. To undo the affects, the Indian government is now encouraging public-private partnerships. He concluded by giving a word of caution to the ministers concerned of African nations. He asked them to provide necessary minimum land holdings to all the African farmers.

The next speech was given by H.E. Mr. Adama Sall, Minister of Water Resources of Senegal. He stressed the importance of efficient use of water for agriculture. Senegal has many rivers like Senegal, Geba, Gambia etc and considerable underground water which can be tapped for agricultural purposes. Mr. Sall concluded his speech by recommending the use of tools, mechanisms and equipments to support agriculture.

Mr. Marius Ratolojanahary, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Madagascar, highlighted the achievements and plans of Madagascar, developed by the government in 2005, will bring about, the most important of which would be the doubled food production in two years. To be able to achieve this, the farmers must be provided with highly productive seed varieties, fertilizers should be available for rational use, agricultural equipment must be available, and the farmers should be trained on efficient practices. In this regard, Mr. Ratolojanahary said that India can share its knowledge and practices with Africa. He also mentioned about the climatic change being the most important constraint on agriculture and therefore urged the need to take an action.

The sixth speaker was H.E. Mr. Hamath Sall, Minister of Agriculture and Husbandry, Senegal. He spoke specifically about the subject of food self-sufficiency. Senegal is the largest importer of rice in the world and this has accounted for16% of its trade deficit. In this context, the government of Senegal has set up a self-sufficiency programme, which aims at bringing about self-sufficiency by 2015. Mr. Sall concluded his speech by mentioning that the production of rice within Senegal will not only impact its growth but also provide rice husk, which is an important cattle feed.

Mr. Kirloskar concluded the session by saying that the co-operation between India and the African countries would benefit both.

Sourced From: Confederation of Indian Industry

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