Divya Agarwal
Ambassadors, policymakers and agribusiness leaders discuss pathways to strengthen Asia–Africa agricultural cooperation
Gurugram (Haryana) [India], March 20: India hosted a high-level diplomatic roundtable in Gurugram formally launched the Asia Africa Agri Alliance (AAAA) on 13 March 2026, a new institutional platform aimed at strengthening agricultural cooperation, trade, investment, and technology exchange between Asia and Africa.
The launch took place at The Leela Ambience Hotel, Gurugram, alongside the Maize & Millet Summit and Agri & BioWaste Conclave 2026, bringing together ambassadors, senior diplomats, policymakers, and agribusiness leaders from more than ten countries. The gathering marked one of the most prominent diplomatic–industry dialogues focused on agricultural collaboration between the two regions.
Asia and Africa together account for a significant share of global agricultural production, and bilateral agri-trade between the two regions already exceeds USD 90 billion annually. The newly formed Asia Africa Agri Alliance has been established as a Section 8 not-for-profit institution to create structured frameworks for trade partnerships, policy alignment, technology exchange and investment mobilisation across the agri-food value chain.
The roundtable was chaired by Atul Chaturvedi, Executive Chairman of Shree Renuka Sugars Limited, who highlighted the strategic importance of institutional collaboration between the two regions.
Speaking during the session, Atul Chaturvedi said that Asia and Africa possess complementary strengths that can significantly transform global agriculture. “Africa has vast agricultural potential and abundant arable land, while Asia has developed strong capabilities in processing, supply chains and agricultural technologies. Platforms such as the Asia Africa Agri Alliance can help convert this complementary strength into scalable partnerships that benefit farmers, industries and consumers across both regions,” he noted.
Senior officials and policy experts participating in the leadership roundtable included H.E Penny Rogers, UK Agriculture, Food and Drink attaché to India; H.E.Volker Klima Head of the Agriculture & Food Division, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany; H.E.Juan Manuel Velasco Counsellor, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food for India & Seychelles, Embassy of Spain; H.E.Livante Kardos Trade & Commercial Attaché, Embassy of Hungary; H.E.Ajay Singh, Senior Advisor to the Commercial Counsellor (Start-Ups, New Corporates Science, Technology & Innovation), Embassy of Austria; H.E.Shilpa Banga, Senior Advisor to the Commercial Counsellor – F&B, Creative Industries, Healthcare, Embassy of Austria; Siraj Hussain, former Secretary, Agriculture, Government of India; Dr. Ashok Dalwai, Chairman of the Karnataka Agriculture Price Commission and former CEO of the National Rainfed Area Authority; Ambassador Ashok Das, former Ambassador of India to Brazil; and Ananya Ray, former Member of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Ashok Dalwai emphasised the growing importance of South–South cooperation in agriculture. “India’s engagement with African nations in agriculture has steadily expanded over the years. Platforms like the Asia Africa Agri Alliance can help deepen partnerships through knowledge exchange, technology collaboration and investment linkages that support sustainable agricultural growth,” he said.
The diplomatic roundtable also saw participation from representatives of several African and non-African diplomatic missions in India. Among the African representatives were officials from the embassies of Chad, Niger and Benin, while diplomats from countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Hungary and Austria also attended the event.
During the discussions, participants examined key challenges that have historically limited deeper agricultural cooperation between the two regions, including regulatory alignment, investment readiness, market access and technology deployment. Experts noted that coordinated institutional mechanisms could help unlock the significant potential in agricultural value chains, agri-processing and cross-border trade.
The Asia Africa Agri Alliance has been designed around five core pillars: trade and market access, technology and innovation transfer, investment and financing, policy and standards cooperation, and capacity building through knowledge exchange.
According to Kailash Singh, Convenor, Asia Africa Agri Alliance will also support initiatives such as Asia–Africa agri corridors, farm-to-market linkages, technology partnerships and investment facilitation platforms aimed at strengthening agricultural ecosystems across both continents.
Industry observers at the event said the launch of the alliance reflects a growing recognition of the importance of structured South–South collaboration in agriculture, particularly at a time when food security, climate resilience and sustainable supply chains have become key global priorities.
The diplomatic roundtable concluded with discussions on future partnerships, followed by networking interactions among policymakers, diplomats and industry stakeholders.
For more information, kindly visit website www.asiaafricaagrialliance.com
About Asia Africa Agri Alliance
The Asia Africa Agri Alliance (AAAA) is a not-for-profit institutional platform established to promote agricultural trade, investment, technology transfer and policy collaboration between Asia and Africa. The alliance aims to serve as a bridge between governments, agribusinesses, investors and development institutions to build scalable and sustainable agricultural partnerships across the agri-food value chain.
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