NewzVille Desk
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Government of India, in collaboration with the World Bank Group-led SAPLING initiative, inaugurated the Regional High-Level Policy Dialogue titled “Unlocking Value: Advancing Food Processing for Employment Generation and Sustainable Growth in South Asia” in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on 9th June 2026.
The two-day regional dialogue brings together around 200 participants including policymakers, industry leaders, development partners, innovators, researchers, startups, and representatives from South Asian countries to deliberate on strengthening food processing ecosystems and building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems in the region.
Union Minister for Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Chirag Paswan, while addressing the inaugural session, highlighted India’s growing role as a global food processing hub and emphasized the importance of value addition, technology adoption, and regional collaboration in transforming South Asia’s food economy.
Paswan further said that food processing is the bridge between agriculture and prosperity and has immense potential to generate employment, reduce post-harvest losses, improve farmer incomes, and strengthen food security. He noted that India’s policy initiatives and infrastructure development efforts are helping create globally competitive food value chains.
The opening plenary session featured participation from senior dignitaries including Mr. Paul Procee, Acting Country Director for India, World Bank; Ms. Archna Vyas, Country Director for India, Gates Foundation; and Shri Avinash Joshi, Secretary, MoFPI.
Senior representatives from leading global and Indian organizations including Nestlé, Bayer, Rabobank, Ajinomoto, ITC, SEWA, NABARD, and Food Industry Asia are participating in the discussions.
An Innovation Fair has also been organized alongside the dialogue, showcasing breakthrough solutions in cold chain logistics, digital traceability, sustainable packaging, smart processing technologies and storage systems. The fair aims to strengthen partnerships between innovators, policymakers, and industry stakeholders.
