Online Reporter
Judith Phiri, Zimpapers Business Hub
INDIAN Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Bramha Kumar has reaffirmed his country’s commitment to deepening collaboration with Zimbabwe in the agriculture sector with a deliberate focus on mechanisation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), climate resilience and trade opportunities.
The two countries have a long history of close relations, marked by co-operation in development, infrastructure, humanitarian aid and capacity building.
Speaking at the 2nd International Traditional Grains Conference hosted by Sunday News in Bulawayo on Friday, Amb Kumar said just like in Zimbabwe, agriculture was one of the cornerstones of India’s economy.
“It provides a livelihood to nearly 55 percent of the population. With the world’s second-largest agricultural land area, India is a global leader in farm output. The country has the largest cattle herd (buffaloes), the largest area under wheat, rice and cotton and ranks as the world’s top producer of milk, lentils and spices,” he said.
“It is also the second-largest producer of fruits, vegetables, tea, farmed fish, cotton, sugarcane, wheat and rice, underscoring its central role in global food supply and making one and half billion-population self-sufficient in terms of food security.”
Amb Kumar said the food industry in India was poised for rapid growth, driven by its immense potential for value addition adding that the food processing industry alone accounts for 32 percent of the country’s total food market and ranks 5th globally in terms of production, consumption, exports and growth potential.
“Beyond generating employment for millions of farmers, the sector plays a vital role in rural industrialisation, supply chain development and food security,” he said.
“India’s foreign trade is closely linked with agriculture. Many agricultural products such as tea, coffee, cotton, oil, fruits, vegetables, pulses, cashew nuts, spices and even rice and wheat are now exported.”
Amb Kumar said sustainable inputs including advanced seed technologies and eco-friendly agro-chemicals were emerging as key enablers of climate resilience and productivity, driving a shift toward more adaptive and sustainable farming systems.
He said innovations in farm management are setting new benchmarks for precision, enabling data led decision-making, optimised resource use and enhanced operational efficiency.
“India’s agricultural operations are being revolutionised by Internet of things (IoT), which has enabled monitoring, AI-driven advisory and robotic automation, moving towards a new era of precision, efficiency and scalability,” said Amb Kumar.
He said India’s circular economy in agriculture was advancing through Government-backed initiatives that emphasise sustainability, resource efficiency and climate resilience.
For instance, India has more than five million biogas plants in all zones collectively generating 0,7 million m3 of biogas per day converting crop residues into renewable energy and organic fertilisers.
Amb Kumar said with strategic investments in infrastructure, continued reforms and a strong export pipeline, India’s agriculture sector is well-positioned to sustain growth, diversify output and strengthen its global footprint in the coming decade.
“India has repeatedly ensured that we share our best practices with friendly countries. I am happy to note that many agriculture graduates are sharpening their understanding with Government of India short-term scholarship, which is known as Indian Economic and Technical Co-operation (Itec) programme.
“Under this programme, India provides 250 plus scholarships to Government of Zimbabwe nominated officers for short term training course. And, it has been a success. It will be my pleasure if I can be instrumental in further strengthening bilateral co-operation in the agricultural sector and institute a formal mechanism of interaction between our two friendly countries.”
In his remarks, Sunday News Editor, Mr Hatred Zenenga, noted the significance of the conference and how it has attracted international participants.
He said this year’s gathering served as a platform to discuss and co-create ideas on how to upscale traditional grains as healthy foods.
The international conference was hosted by the country’s largest multi-media company Zimbabwe Newspapers (Zimpapers) — proprietors of Sunday News, in partnership with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat).
It ran under the theme: “Empowering Value Chains Through Innovation, Mechanisation, Policy and Culture”.
