New Delhi: Indian Council of Food and Agriculture (ICFA) today signed an agreement with the African-Asian Rural Development Organisation (AARDO) for agricultural upliftment by mutual cooperation. The MoU was signed in New Delhi between Director General of ICFA, Mr. Alok Sinha and AARDO Secretary General, His Excellency, Mr. Wassfi Hassan El-Sreihin. (Seen in Pic from L to R: Assistant SG, AARDO, Dr. M Nardeosing, Mr. Vijay Sardana, Chairman, ICFA Working Group on Agro Trade, Dr. MJ Khan, Chairman, ICFA, Dr. KL Chadha, Chairman ICFA Working Group on Horticulture and Dr. M. Moni, ICFA WG on ICT)
ICFA and AARDO have commonalities in their respective mandates, especially in the field of capacity building, promoting technology transfer, undertaking research, consultancy, organizing seminars, conferences, entrepreneurships development, studying successful farming and agribusiness models for adoption on larger scale, said Mr. Sreihin in his opening comments at the delegation level talks, after signing the MoU. ICFA Chairman, Dr. MJ Khan emphasised that Africa has got strong potential in food and agriculture and with Indian expertise and cooperation the potential can be translated into big opportunity for the mutual gains of both, India and African nations. He elaborated that there is $ 10 Billion opportunity for Africa in pulses production under buy-back arrangements with India.
Considering this factor, the two important bodies agreed to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for collaborative ventures. AARDO and ICFA have mutually agreed upon working jointly in the fields of rural development, agriculture and food, implementing programmes on food security, environmental sustainability and accelerating the growth in farm productivity and agri-business. Both the organizations will together pursue the development of common programmes which shall enable them to effectively and efficiently utilize the available resources for concrete actions to achieve the objectives of their respective mandates. They will endeavour to provide assistance to farmers and agri-entrepreneurs by addressing their technology, marketing and financing related issues. The MoU signed will remain in effect for three years after signature by both the organizations. Besides, both the organizations may later enter into supplementary agreements as the need arises in future.