NEW DELHI, 30 November 2024: Speaking at the 4th Sustainable Agriculture Awards 2024, yesterday, FAO Representative in India, Mr. Takayuki Hagiwara said that agriculture remains a backbone of India’s economy accounting for more than 60 per cent of rural livelihoods. Hagiwara said that while FAO promotes transformation beyond agriculture to the entire agri-food system in the country. He pointed out that for this to happen, cooperation on sustainable practice throughout the whole value chain from production to consumption is called for.
“India is known for its IT capabilities and has tremendous potential in digital agriculture,” added Mr Hagiwara. “This transformation requires a concerted effort by the government, industry, and communities to ensure the future of agriculture and its contribution to a sustainable economy.”.
Several technologies need to be evolved, added Mr Siraj Hussain, Advisor – Food Processing, FICCI and former secretary, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, for preserving the yields across areas such as field agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, poultry and dairy. “These will encourage sustainability and allied sectors,” he added.
Mr Pravesh Sharma, Chairman, FICCI Taskforce on FPOs and Director, Samunnati elaborated that there is a critical need for an overall approach to sustainability, look at sustainability in agriculture from a three-pronged approach: economic sustainability, environmental sustainability, and social sustainability.
Ms Anuja Kadian, India Chair, BRICS WBA Working Group on Food Security and Environmental Safety, and Chair, 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 FICCI-YES BANK Report “Boosting Sustainability in Indian Agriculture: A Compendium of Impactful Private Sector-led Initiatives” was also released as a culmination to the event. The knowledge partner was YES BANK, which presented on the findings post the release of the report.
The FICCI Sustainable Agriculture Awards have been declared. The FICCI Sustainable Agriculture Awards were instituted in 2021 to reward impactful programs that help farmers connect with each other while being sustainable, augmenting their incomes, sourcing responsibly, and enhancing climate resilience. The past four years were recognized as change influencers by such 80 organizations in agriculture. On the 4th edition of the summit, it acknowledged innovative solutions that shape Indian agriculture for the future while fostering the development of sustainable practice.
Source: Article-“4th Sustainable Agriculture Awards 2024 in New Delhi”; summary of speeches by some of the guest of honours such as Mr. Takayuki Hagiwara, FAO Representative in India and reports presented.