The first Global Agro-Industries Forum will be organised in New Delhi from 8 to 11 April 2008.

India's Minister of Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Sharad Pawar and Director General, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations Dr Jacques Diouf jointly made this announcement in New Delhi on Thursday.

The Indian government, FAO and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation are jointly organising the conference.

Pawar described the organisation of the conference as a timely initiative and expressed hope that the role of agro-industries in enhancing productivity and profitability in agriculture, employment generation and poverty alleviation, especially in developing countries would receive requisite attention.

Dr Diouf, who is presently on a three-day visit to India, stated that hosting this global event in New Delhi is a testimony to India's central place in the world agricultural scenario and that it will further strengthen FAO's and UNIDO's engagement with the country.

A key challenge is to develop agro-industries and associated enterprises that are inclusive of smaller scale producers and processors and that also deliver better products at lower prices thus directly helping poor consumers.

While high-income countries add, on average, US$180 of value by processing one tonne of agricultural products, developing countries generate only US$40 of value per tonne.

"We are very pleased to be working alongside FAO and UNIDO to host this Global Forum in India," said Dr Mangala Rai, secretary, Department of Agricultural Research & Education and director general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

"We are committed to supporting the development of competitive but fair agro-industries and look forward to discussing experiences and strategies with participants from around the world," Rai added.

The Global Agro-Industries Forum will promote dialogue on strategies for developing competitive agro-industries that contribute to poverty reduction. It will thus build on success stories and winning strategies to develop competitive agro-industries in the developing world that include small-scale farmers and reinforce collaboration among all stakeholders from local to global levels, as well as public and private sectors.

"Rapid globalization, market liberalization, and urbanization have created new opportunities for increased trade in agricultural and food products in national, regional and international markets, but they have also created challenges and increased risks," explains Dr. Daniel Gustafson, FAO representative in India.

The Global Forum will bring together 500 senior representatives from ministries of agriculture and of industries, other UN agencies, and civil society organizations as well as agro-industry specialists and private sector food industry leaders.

Following the forum, FAO and UNIDO will launch a series of concrete actions at regional and national levels, including a series of regional agro-industry Fora, to strengthen expertise and capacity for establishing enabling policies, institutions and services, and will technically support the development of competitive agro-industries and value chains in conjunction with regional and national partners.

"The Forum is a concrete example of the partnership being established between UNIDO and FAO to address the key factors critical to the future of agro-industries development", notes Dr. Philippe Scholt�s, UNIDO Representative in India.