AMCHAM organized a conference on ‘Food Security: Sustainable & Resilient Agri & Food Systems’ on July 25th at Hotel Taj Mahal in New Delhi. In the inaugural session, Mr. Prashant Peres, Chairman – Agriculture & Food Processing Committee, AMCHAM and Managing Director, India & South Asia, Kellanova welcomed dignitaries and participants and gave opening remarks. He highlighted the need for collective responsibility of all stakeholders to pitch in for making agriculture and food systems sustainable and resilient. He acknowledged the contribution of the processing industry which through its backward linkages provide direct benefits to farmers through employment, ensure food safety and minimizes food wastage. He stated that a sustainable agricultural and food system is one that ensures food security and nutrition for all while safeguarding the economic, social, and environmental foundations for future generations.

Mr. Abhishek Dev, IAS, Chairman, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India in his special address spoke about the importance of the agriculture sector for the Indian economy as it provides livelihood to almost 42% of the total population but the contribution to GDP is only 18%. Despite being one of the largest producers of rice, wheat, pulses, spices and certain fruits and vegetables, India’s farm productivity is below par which in turn impacts farmers’ incomes. Fragmented land holdings, low farm investments, lack of farm mechanizations, insufficient access to credit, inadequate market infrastructure, dependence on rains, short growing seasons and climate change are some of the reasons for the low farm productivity. He highlighted government initiatives like PM PRANAM to reduce chemical fertilizer use and promote sustainable practices, aiming to save costs for environmental and economic benefits. He touched upon the recent impetus given to popularize natural and organic farming in the recent budget. The aim is to bring ten million farmers into natural farming by way of incentivization. India has the highest number of organic farmers in the world but productivity is only at 2%. The government is working to increase the area under organic farming. APEDA has also initiated a National Program for Organic Farming with an aim to increase production and exports. He invited AMCHAM to collaborate for increasing exports of organic exports, traceability and quality management.

Dr. Ashok Gulati, Distinguished Professor, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) and Padma Shri, in his special address, shared India’s food security journey from the 1960s, when it relied heavily on foreign food aid due to frequent droughts, to becoming a net exporter of $48.9 billion in food products in 2024. Dr. Gulati highlighted India’s strong position is being self-sufficient in staples but advocated for including nutritional security into the larger fold of food security. He explained the modern demand pull for nutritious food which is evident from the growth in sectors like poultry, fisheries, dairy, fruits and vegetables. The cereals industry on the other hand is growing at less than 2% now. He highlighted the importance of imparting education about nutrition to famers and consumers, especially women. While talking about the future of agriculture, Dr. Gulati emphasized the importance of having a robust food processing industry. It will be through high levels of processing aided by technology that the nutritional component could be preserved or even enhanced. He shared the case study of milk production in India which is three times in comparison to the U.S. but is processed at only 20%. Lesser processing levels also devoid farmers from getting better remuneration. He advised industry to help in aggregation of land holdings that brings in homogeneity and thus better returns. With annual production poised to reach 600 million tons by 2050, tech interventions and increasing processing levels will be vital to unlocking India’s full potential and advancing its food system.

AMCHAM, in collaboration with YES Bank, prepared and released a report ‘Making India the Global Food Hub‘ which provides an overview of the evolving food demand trends in India and the agriculture sector’s response. It highlights India’s innate potential to become the global food hub, identifies specific bottlenecks hindering growth and suggests select interventions that, if implemented will significantly boost sustainable growth and development of the Indian food and agriculture sector. Mr. Prasad P., Group Executive Vice President, Food & Agribusiness Strategic Advisory & Research (FASAR) Unit, YES Bank gave an overview of the report. Mr. Dhritiman Biswas, Director, Government Relations – South Asia, Cargill thanked the speakers and gave concluding remarks.

Ms. Rakhee Gupta Bhandari, IAS, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing, Government of Punjab in her special address gave an overview of the vast opportunities available for the food processing sector especially with the availability of robust rail and road networks, fertile agri lands and good irrigation systems. She also highlighted the potential of integrating food processing with the tourism sector in Punjab. She spoke about the importance of having a strong primary and secondary food processing system which through the government’s One District One Product (ODOP) scheme is being realized. The ODOP scheme has helped in the discovery of many local food items, jamuns, kinoos and chibber fruit. She emphasized the need to develop catchment areas and suggested MNCs to come forward and help in creating forward and backward linkages. Ms. Bhandari talked about the importance of linking and connecting Punjab by inclusivity of women and focusing on ODOP initiatives at the grassroots level to ensure last-mile connectivity. She also spoke about creating awareness, especially in making nutritional choices, and the timely need to innovate as per changing consumer taste and preferences.

The first industry panel discussion ‘Empowering Lives with Healthy Choices’ featured speakers Mr. Joydeep Dutt, Country Director, India, TechnoServe, Mr. Jaison John, Country Team Lead for India, U.S. Soybean Export Council and Ms. Mansi Chaturvedi, Head – Private Partnerships, World Food Programme India. Mr. Dhritiman Biswas, Director, Government Relations – South Asia, Cargill moderated the session. The panel discussed food security in the wake of an increasing population, climatic changes and geopolitical challenges. They deliberated upon the growing importance of having nutritional security especially imparting this knowledge to farmers, food fortification, need for a shift from carbs to proteins, intersectionality between gender, climate and livelihood and preserving natural resources through integrated solutions and collaborations across the value chain.
The next panel discussion ‘Adopting Sustainable Practices for a Better Future’ was moderated by Mr. Prashant Peres, Chairman – Agriculture & Food Processing Committee, AMCHAM and Managing Director, India & South Asia, Kellanova. Mr. Subroto Geed, President, South Asia, Corteva Agriscience, Dr. Eram S. Rao, Professor, Department of Food Technology, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, Delhi University, Ms. Jaishree Nilkhan, Head of External Relations, India and Middle East, General Mills India Private Limited and Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) were speakers. The panel shared thoughts around the various connotations of a sustainable agri and food system that would include producing more with less resources, having a continuous process with minimal negative impact on environment, leaving food for future generations, use of technology, imparting nutritional literacy, mindful eating, dietary diversification, generating awareness, minimizing food losses, using less fertilizers, assessing impact on planet and people, regenerative agri practices, packaging, zero waste in food production process and provide nutritional choices to consumers. The panel also shared their best practices and barriers in execution of sustainable practices. They highlighted the benefits of these practices, which included the long-term health of agricultural ecosystems, promotion of healthy habits, conservation of natural resources and increased income for farmers.
The last panel ‘Building a 360-degree Food Value Chain’ featured speakers Mr. Rahul Kapoor, Director – Sales & Marketing, Carrier Commercial Refrigeration, Dr. Ravindra Kumar, Director, F&B Ingredients, GKA & Customer Excellence, International Flavors & Fragrances, Mr. Gaurav Sishodia, Vice President, Invest India and Mr. Robin Edwin, Country Head and Managing Director, Mosaic India, with moderator Mr. Prasad P., Group Executive Vice President, Food & Agribusiness Strategic Advisory & Research (FASAR) Unit, YES Bank. The panel discussed how building a 360-degree agri value chain involves creating a comprehensive and integrated network that encompasses all aspects — production, post-harvest management, distribution, customer interaction and sustainability. This approach aims to maximize productivity, enhance efficiency, reduce costs and augment customer satisfaction by seamlessly connecting all stakeholders. The panel addressed the challenges and opportunities within the sector, providing a comprehensive overview. They demonstrated the interplay between agriculture and processing and highlighted key aspects such as storage, transportation and policy support.

The conference concluded with a special address by Mr. G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, IAS, Chief Executive Officer, FSSAI, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. Mr. Rao shared the recent legalization of lab-grown meat by the Singapore government and emphasized the necessity of rigorous examination and adherence to quality and safety standards for newly introduced products. He reflected on the agricultural landscape at the time of India’s independence, noting the introduction of 37 core high-yielding agricultural products to meet national needs before the Green Revolution. He highlighted that prior to international intervention, micronutrient levels produced were 37% higher. He also identified critical challenges within India’s agricultural sector, including excessive pesticide use, product duplication and the presence of heavy metals. Furthermore, Mr. Rao underscored the importance of fortification in enhancing food quality and safety, advocating for continued efforts to address these pressing issues. The conference was supported by Cargill, ADM and Kellanova with YES Bank was the knowledge partner.