India–Africa Partnerships for Food Security and Capacity Building

This compendium showcases the ongoing trends and challenges in South-South cooperation between India and select countries in Africa, for achieving food security and poverty reduction. Scholars and practitioners share diverse perspectives on the role of India’s development compact; aid, trade, private sector driven Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs), and concessional Lines of Credit (LOCs) to the agricultural and agro-processing sector in Africa. India- Africa cooperation also underscores that the sharing of knowledge and capabilities- technical and financial, along with North- South partnerships- through trilateral and multilateral mechanisms, can upscale agriculture and agro-processing sectors to centre stage the food security agenda and reduce poverty. Arguments made through the volume critically highlight hegemonic neo-liberal economic policies, structural adjustment programmes, import substitution practices, and the denationalization of food production, and illustrate the need for sustainable and cost effective agro-ecological practices, in the face of ongoing global challenges, such as the climate emergency and degradation of biodiversity and habitats.

The axial questions addressed are; how does cooperation between countries of the Global South- India and Africa - impact intra-South trading, capacity building, and the investment landscape. Scientists, academics, development professionals, government officials, NGOs and international organizations, offer the readers; empirical case studies, policy perspectives, the limitations and challenges, and the way forward in an analytical manner.

“The compendium examines, with carefully selected case studies, the major impediments to agricultural transformation in Africa and suggests some concrete plans for overcoming them, particularly focusing on India’s own experience and capital. The successful result of such an effort would benefit both India and the specific African countries in question. The collection also closely scrutinizes other diverse issues that are relevant to agriculture and food security in the context of the fledgling alliance between India and Africa. This is empirically rich, theoretically grounded and timely analysis of an important aspect of the political economy of South-South relations.”(Seifudein Adem, Professor, Graduate School of Global Studies, Doshisha University, Japan)

“This book makes a valuable contribution in outlining ways for India and Africa to work together towards ensuring greater food security. Indeed, Africa remains a region full of potential in the agricultural sector, presenting opportunities as the continent is set to double its population to 2 billion by 2050. Through cooperation and knowledge exchanges with longstanding partners such as India, the continent can boost its level of productivity, find new markets, and use the sector to attract investment and create jobs. However, this can only be done through partnerships that boost the continent’s internal capacity in this critical sector.”(Dr. Philani Mthembu, Executive Director, Institute for Global Dialogue, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa)

Renu Modi is Professor and Director at the Centre for African Studies, University of Mumbai

Meera Venkatachalam is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for African Studies, University of Mumbai