India to host first global agro-industries forum in 2008

New Delhi, Aug 9 (UNI) India, in collaboration with FAO and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) will organise a conference of the first Global Agro-Industries Forum (GAIF) here from April 8 to 11 next year.

Agriculture and Food Sharad Pawar and the Director General, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) , Dr Jacques Diouf jointly made this announcement here last evening.

The conference, to be hosted by India, has been billed as a timely initiative for the promotion of agro-industries which could help enhancing farm productivity , employment generation and poverty alleviation with developing countries receiving requisite attention on this count.

The underlined idea behind the conference is that the development of agro-industries and associated enterprises usually operated by smaller scale producers and processors, could deliver better products at lower prices thus directly helping poor consumers.

It is pertinent to note that high-income countries add, on average, 180 US dollars of value by processing one tonne of agricultural products and the developing countries generate only 40 dollars of value per tonne.

"We are committed to supporting the development of competitive but fair agro-industries and look forward to discussing experiences and strategies with participants from around the world", said Dr Mangala Rai, Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education and Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The GAIF will promote dialogue on strategies for developing competitive agro-industries.

"Rapid globalisation, market liberalisation, and urbanisation have created new opportunities for increased trade in agricultural and food products in national, regional and international markets, but they have also created challenges and increased risks," explains Dr Daniel Gustafson, FAO Representative in India.

The Global Forum will bring together 500 senior representatives from ministries of agriculture and of industries, other UN agencies, and civil society organisations as well as agro-industry specialists and private sector food industry leaders.

Following the Forum, FAO and UNIDO will launch a series of concrete actions at regional and national levels, including a series of regional agro-industry Fora and will technically support the development of competitive agro-industries and value chains in conjunction with regional and national partners.

UNI