New Partnerships Planned for Crop Research and Food Processing

New Delhi, 12 July – Afghanistan’s top agriculture official, Mawlavi Ataullah Omari, led a multi‑agency team to India for an official visit spanning July 7‑12, 2026. This mission, the fourth ministerial exchange since October 2025, highlighted the intensifying cooperation in the agricultural domain.

The minister’s primary discussion with India's Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan focused on reviewing existing joint projects and outlining fresh initiatives in seed systems, crop productivity, livestock health, and research collaborations. Both parties emphasized the need for climate‑smart agriculture and efficient water use.

India reiterated its commitment to assist Afghanistan through knowledge transfer on resilient crop varieties, bio‑fortified seeds, sustainable irrigation, and watershed management.

A separate session with Food Processing Industry Minister Chirag Paswan covered strategies to enhance bilateral trade in agri‑commodities, promote value‑addition through processing, improve related infrastructure and foster technical cooperation.

Additional meetings with senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Textiles examined broader development cooperation. The Afghan team also engaged with leading Indian research entities—NABARD, ICAR, IARI, CIMMYT, ICRISAT, CIP, IFDC and PhDCCI—to cement future collaborative research, training and funding arrangements.