On April 18, 2023, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) organized the 9th edition of the "India Maize Summit" with the theme, "Maize for India's Sustainable Agriculture Future."
The summit aimed to discuss the importance of maize production for domestic, industrial, and economic use and its cultivation in an environmentally friendly way. FICCI has been organizing the India Maize Summit since 2013, and the past eight editions have been successful. The summit has always been acknowledged for the effective involvement of stakeholders and the discussion of topical themes.
During the summit, Manoj Ahuja, Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, stressed the need for frameworks to collaborate in a PPP model that allows the private sector to work with the government sector to benefit farmers.
Anuja Kadian, Government & Industry Affairs Director, Asia Pacific, Corteva Agriscience, emphasized that the maize sector is now at the threshold of a new revolution in Indian agriculture, while TR Kesavan, Group President of TAFE Ltd. and Chair of the FICCI National Agriculture Committee, suggested establishing a Centre of Excellence for mechanization in the agriculture sector, which he believes will be crucial for India.
Abdul Sattar, Minister of Agriculture, State of Maharashtra said, “The Farmers should be financially assisted and get better fertilizers, seeds, and good marketing output of the harvest.”
Nikhil Toshniwal, Vice President, DeHaat emphasized the usage of technology which farmers can use through their smartphones, and secondly, the KYC procedure is done digitally, because when the farmers go for either subsidies or insurance they face documentation problems.
The event was attended by leading names from the agri industry, including Sunjay Vuppuluri, FASAR Segment, Yes Bank, Pravesh Sharma, Chairman FICCI Taskforce on FPOs and Director Samunnati, TR Kesavan, Chairman, FICCI National Agriculture Committee, and Group President, TAFE Ltd, and Anuja Kadian, Government and Industry Affairs Director, Asia Pacific, Corteva Agriscience.
The summit aimed to provide technical insights on trade dynamics, policies, and reforms for the growing maize-based industry and invite collaborative solutions from a diverse set of minds. The organizers hope that the event will contribute to increasing maize production and ensure its sustainability while benefiting farmers and boosting India's economy
