Introduction
India that is Bharat is a constituent part of our constitution. Bharat uses agro-processing technologies in Africa that add value to African agriculture. Ample virgin land of Africa needs scientific technology to develop the agriculture sector and agroindustry to cater their population on the one side and to become a food basket for the world community on the other side. The export in agro-processing will increase foreign currency reserves and boost the economic growth of the continent. Agro-processing is the sector that will minimize Africa’s population dependence on food products and other needs of the kitchen. The agro-processing sector will enable the African rural community to utilize their crops in the best way and introduce alternative sources of food products in their lives. The additional source will enhance their monthly income and contribute to the agriculture & allied sectors comprehensively.
Today, the emergence and development of vibrant, private regional agro-industrial sectors in Africa are capable of adding maximum value to and raising the competitiveness of agricultural commodities.
Abuja Food Security Summit of has identified nine continental strategic commodities (rice, legumes, maize, cotton, oil palm, beef, dairy, poultry and fisheries products) and some regional strategic commodities (cassava, sorghum and millet) for private investments in Africa. Introducing agro-processing industries for these selected strategic commodities, Bharat assists the genuine African market and offers an appropriate economic space for Bhartiya investments at the level of regional economies. Bharat’s rich experience in the agro-processing industry surely strengthens agricultural commodity chains and accomplishes the economic needs of the African population.
Bharat is now the single-largest foreign investor in Ethiopia with Bhartiya entrepreneurs getting licenses from the Ethiopian authorities to invest $4.2 billion in 439 investment projects in the country. Ethiopia adopted an agriculture- and rural-centered development strategy known as Agricultural Development Industrialization (ADLI). ADLI focuses on the development of smallholder farm productivity and the expansion of commercial farms. One suggests the structure of cooperative farming should be like that of West and South India, and Kenya may be replicated in Ethiopia; if successfully implemented, it has the potential to reduce food insecurity, absolute poverty and environmental degradation. Ethiopian agriculture and agroindustry, the second largest sector of investment, has focused on FDI in the last two decades and received a number of projects.
Development of Agro-Processing
Food surplus production in Africa invites agro-processing to produce different food products and cater to the needs of urban as well as rural areas. These products no doubt, are an additional source of income for the agriculturalists in Africa. Today, this initiative of production improvement needs agricultural tractors and combines machinery for the use of more arable land and improvement in production. Bhartiya investors provide agriculture mechanization such as seed cum fertilizer drill that facilitates seed saving, saving in fertilizer, enhancement in cropping intensity and increase in gross income and return to farmers in Africa. Escorts, Sonalika, Eicher, HMT, International Tractors, Mahendra & Mahendra, etc. are the largest producers of Agricultural equipments in Bharat. This agricultural mechanization will enhance production as the land in Africa is naturally highly fertile. Different agro-processing industries invite investments in Africa in different areas.
1. Millets Income as Agro-Processing
Bharat and the African continent have supported the International Year of Millets 2023 encouraging zero hunger. The varieties of millet production initiate the active participation of agro-processing industries in Bharat and Africa. Bhartiya agro-processing has launched the production of millets and has attracted customers with a variety of products. Bharat and African youth have successfully launched the breakfast menu with the millet cereal flakes to vermicelli, millet-based pizza, pasta, noodles, bread, burgers, and many more and aims to provide a hassle-free and nutritious twist to consumers tables (Suresh Kumar, April 2023).
The agroindustry in Africa needs millet mechanization that will facilitate an increase in productivity. The production boost in millet is the only way to initiate agro-processing in Africa. It should be clear to all that once there is be surplus production of food in Africa, the agroindustry will get the input of raw materials to produce different food products and cater to the needs of urban as well as rural areas. More than a hundred Indian companies have collectively invested US$2.50 billion in Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Senegal, and Mozambique and will strengthen this area of investment
2.Agro-Processing of Organic Farming
Africa has ample land that needs to be developed for agricultural purposes. The private sector of Bharat has started investing in the agriculture sector and developing organic farming and other as part of agroindustry. The investment in this sector offers commercial farming of fruits and vegetables, processing of fruits and vegetables, production and export of de-hydrated fruits, investment in cold storage facilities at collecting points, organic farming of fruits and vegetables, packaging of vegetables and fruits for exports, opportunity for local manufacturing of attractive packaging for fruits and vegetable. The agro-processing of mushrooms, soybeans, green beans, green vegetables, etc. is an additional source of income for the rural society
3.Agro-Processing of Food & Beverages
Value addition to a variety of agricultural produce locally available in Africa needs agro-processing such as planting and processing of coffee and production in instant coffee particularly in Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia. The agro-processing includes extraction of vegetable and essential oil, breweries and distilleries of alcoholic beverages, soft drink and packed fruit drinks manufacture, commercial farming and processing of sugar, corn flakes, gram flakes, etc. The development of Agro-processing industries deals with the processing and preserving of millet cereals, millet products, integrated production, processing of mixed millet, production of spaghetti, macaroni, pasta, and other products
Entrepreneur’s Investment and Conclusion
Africa invites the potential investment sector in agro-processing that will work as a value addition to the continent. Agro-processing is an example of understanding the process of investment, setting up the market and relations with the consumers in Africa. It attracts medium Bhartiya and African investors working together as joint firms in any African country that will help in understanding the environment of the country, the nature of the people cum customer and the society. Different entrepreneurs’ investments in agro-processing of Dairy Farms, Poultry, Piggery, Aquaculture, Sericulture, Horticulture, Floriculture and Shrimp & Prawn cultivations will strengthen agro-industry in Africa.
Overall, the mutual needs and cooperation will develop more and more scientific awareness among rural people which will persuade the younger and future generations to get educated. Moreover, agriculture extension is an important component of rural youth in Africa, which will help them in becoming entrepreneurs in agro-processing with minimum investment. African governments should initiate the process of Rural (village) Cooperatives Bank that will provide different loan schemes to strengthen agro-processing in their countries.
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