The upcoming international conference of agricultural economists presents a significant opportunity to strengthen the India-Africa partnership for food security. This collaboration aims to develop innovative solutions and strategies to combat malnutrition and promote sustainable agricultural practices, particularly for children under the age of five.
India is hosting the 32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists (ICAE) in Delhi from August 2-7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the chief guest, and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will be the guest of honor.
The largest conference of agricultural economists will address global food and nutrition security, a growing challenge exacerbated by climate change and geopolitical conflicts. While India's success in the Green Revolution and the White Revolution (milk) is well-known, the African continent continues to struggle with food shortages. Ensuring nutrition security for children, especially those under five, remains a significant challenge for both India and Africa. With the African Union invited to become a permanent member of the G20 during India's presidency, there is a unique opportunity for India and Africa to learn from global developments in food and agriculture.
A special session of ICAE compared the experiences of 20 major Indian states and 15 African countries from 2004-05 to 2019-20. It was noted that due to a high debt service ratio, less is spent on agriculture compared to social security. African countries consistently have lower agricultural budgets compared to Indian states, affecting productivity and efforts to reduce child malnutrition. Both regions lack investment in agricultural research and extension. Increasing public expenditure and encouraging agricultural R&D are crucial. Reforming subsidies and reallocating resources to infrastructure and R&D can improve agricultural growth and child nutrition outcomes.
Initiative to End Global Hunger by 2040: Globally, the human and financial costs of inaction in the fight against hunger are extremely concerning. Recent developments—such as increasing conflicts, climate crises, economic downturns, and a lack of global action—make achieving the UN's goal of zero hunger by 2030 appear difficult. According to a new study by the University of Bonn (ZEF), Germany, and the FAO, an additional $21 billion per year investment in agriculture and rural areas will be needed to end global hunger by 2040.
New Directions in Food Security and Bioeconomy from India's and Brazil's G20 Presidencies:
India's G20 presidency last year and Brazil's this year have played significant roles in setting the global agenda on food security and ending hunger. For the first time, a bioeconomy strategy paper was presented for the G20, which Brazil has further advanced with the G20 nations. China has also recently launched its bioeconomy strategy. India played a crucial role in onboarding the African Union to the G20 platform during its presidency.
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The developed countries of the G20 can help solve food and nutrition security problems in the Global South by addressing climate change with support for resilience and by sharing science and innovation for food systems transformation. Africa and South Asia, together representing nearly 3 billion people, can call for this support. Investment in climate resilience requires adaptation, mitigation, and system transformation, facilitated by building the bioeconomy, which would benefit from global investments, including the Global Climate Fund. The sequence of G20 presidencies from 2022-25—Indonesia, India, Brazil, and next year South Africa—shows indications of change in the governance of food systems. A well-functioning global food system is mainly in the interest of the Global South, and it is evident when they are in the driver's seat.
We hope the Indian Prime Minister will take this agenda of the South forward in the G20 and also provide dynamism in agri-food relations between Africa and India for the common good of nearly one-third of humanity.
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