Launch of Indian Council of Food and Agriculture

Launch of Indian Council of Food and Agriculture

The Indian Council of Food and Agriculture, which is being launched as an apex body to act as think tank, policy advocacy, trade facilitation, development catalyst and monitoring centre for India’s food and agriculture sector. 

With the increasing globalization, there are newer challenges demanding proactive response for the Indian agriculture and agri-food trade to compete globally. While major industry chambers have larger economic and business development agenda, agriculture is not their priority. Industry plays crucial role in Indian agriculture, but the sector is beyond the industry to include the stakeholders such as farmers, academic, research, policy, development, extension system. They need their issues and agenda to be effectively articulated at the district, state, national and international levels. While there are sector specific bodies in food and agriculture, both for input side and for output side, but cutting across the compartmentalized approach, there is none. While the target group remains the same, i.e., farmer at the supply side and the consumer at the end.

With the new Government at the centre, there is increased interest among the major countries about engaging with India and exploring opportunities for trade and cooperation. There is need for a dedicated body to facilitate such engagement while promoting India’s interests. We also need institutional mechanism at the district levels, wherein various stakeholders could meet and deliberate upon issues and agenda. ICFA proposes to provide that mechanism, and become a mass-based organisation with large scale membership through state and district chapters, while maintaining the class character for working at the national and international level.

The first meeting to deliberate upon creating such body took place in 2002 at the residence of the then power minister, Mr. Suresh Prabhu (Railway Minister in Modi Government). Later on many deliberations took place over the years. Finally, the name Indian Council of Food and Agriculture was registered in March 2015, with the operationalisation meeting conducted in July 2015. Details are enclosed below for your kind perusal. ICFA launch function is organised as part of the Agriculture Leadership Summit on 18th Sept. 2015, at hotel Taj Palace, New Delhi. 

The honour will be done by Shri Rajnath Singh, Hon’ble Home Minister of India, in the august presence of Chief Minister of UP, Mr. Akhilesh Yadav, Governor of Haryana & Punjab, Prof. KS Solanki, Pioneer of India’s Green Revolution, Prof. MS Swaminathan, and a galaxy of other persons, including ministers, top government officials, industry CEOs, diplomats etc. among others.