At the 6th Agri-Business Conclave and Awards held on 21st May 2025 at FIEO, New Delhi, Dr. Manoj Nardeosingh, Secretary-General of the African-Asian Rural Development Organisation (AARDO), emphasised the transformative power of agribusiness and the indispensable role of South-South cooperation in reshaping global food systems.
Dr. Nardeosingh began by extending his appreciation to the organisers and congratulating the Green Honour awardees. “It’s a great pleasure and privilege for me, as the Secretary-General, to greet you, to say thank you to the Diplomatist Magazine for this beautiful event, and also to heartily congratulate all the awardees of the Green Honours,” he said.
He acknowledged the multifaceted efforts being made across sectors—technical, diplomatic, and grassroots—to strengthen agribusiness in the Global South. “You are doing a great job,” he stated, “contributing at different levels—diplomacy, technical, even as technicians. You are promoting agriculture and diplomatic ties to ensure agri-businesses thrive in our countries.”
Representing both Africa and Asia, Dr. Nardeosingh underlined the sheer demographic and economic significance of the Global South. “The population of Asia is nearly 4.75 billion, representing approximately 60% of the total world population. If we add the African population—1.5 billion—that’s 80%. Add Latin America, and we have 88% of the world’s population residing in South countries,” he noted.
He stressed that this demographic reality necessitates stronger cooperation among Southern nations. “South-South cooperation is evidently becoming more and more crucial, especially for agribusiness and all the young agro-entrepreneurs,” he said.
Highlighting Africa’s potential, he cited the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as “one of the biggest markets in the world,” offering immense opportunities for value addition and intra-continental trade.
Dr. Nardeosingh called for designing inclusive and sustainable business models. “There is a dire need to design inclusive, sustainable business models and partnership arrangements to ensure that small farmers—especially women—are taken on board,” he emphasised. He pointed out the low levels of agro-processing in many Asian and sub-Saharan African countries as a critical gap that must be addressed.
He also urged the conclave to look at “market research, financial recording, technology integration, and technology dissemination,” stressing that innovation must be matched by access and application.
As the global community approaches the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Dr. Nardeosingh struck a note of urgency. “Time is ticking very fast. Progress is still growing and lingering in many places. Scorecards are alarmingly and disturbingly red in many countries,” he warned. Quoting the UN Secretary-General, he added, “Instead of leaving no one behind, we stand the risk of leaving the SDGs behind—just as we left the MDGs some time back.”
He referenced initiatives like the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, acknowledging their ambitious targets while pointing out that “we cannot meet them for the moment.”
A passionate advocate for technological equity, Dr. Nardeosingh introduced the concept of “technology diplomacy,” which AARDO is championing through bilateral, multilateral, and triangular cooperation frameworks. “There are technologies available—green, genetic, robotics, informatics, and nanotechnology. Until and unless we reach those countries that require these technologies, we will not be able to progress,” he stated.
He called for a collective effort to “accelerate and magnify the power of technological solutions and partnerships for impactful ramifications in all South-South areas where we badly need progress to be made.”
Dr. Nardeosingh closed his address with a message of hope and collective responsibility. “South-South cooperation is a tested and proven model to promote self-reliance and empower developing countries to develop their own solutions,” he affirmed.
As the global food systems grapple with complex challenges—from climate change and conflict to market disruptions—his message was clear: the Global South, with its immense human capital and untapped potential, must lead the way in transforming agriculture and agribusiness through cooperation, innovation, and inclusive growth.
“Let us rally and galvanise all our institutions to magnify that power of technological solutions and partnerships,” he urged, leaving the audience with a renewed sense of purpose and possibility.
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