Afghan Minister lauds India's hospitality, underlines need for modernising country's agriculture with India's help
New Delhi, July 10
Afghanistan's Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Mawlawi Attaullah Omari on Friday thanked India for the warm welcome extended to him and underlined the need to modernise the country largely dependent on agriculture.
He made the remarks while attending the India-Afghanistan Trade Opportunities Industry Interactive Session by PHDCCI, under the aegis Of the Ministry of External Affairs.
Omari said, "This is my first trip to India. From the very first day I landed in India, I received a warm welcome from the Indian government, the Minister of External Affairs, and everyone I met. It feels as if I am among my own people...It feels like our own country, and as you mentioned, our DNA is one so that is the idea."
He called Indian hospitality a beacon of hope for Afghanis and said at the press conference, "This warm welcome which we received is like hope for people of Afghanistan and their betterment... 80 per cent of our population is involved in lifestock, agriculture, and irrigation it is now the time to modernise them with new technology."
He noted that while Afghanistan produces high-quality fruits, the country currently lacks the modern infrastructure and training required to maximise these yields.
"We produce the best types of fruits. Farmers need harvesting. Protecting of the harvest. Collecting the crops. We need to teach our farmers in this regard. We need your help for that," he added.
He noted that the current Afghan administration is working to unify the country's development efforts and is actively seeking foreign cooperation to drive prosperity.
Meanwhile, India and Afghanistan took stock of the bilateral ties during the 4th round of India-Afghanistan Joint Committee Meeting, here in the national capital on Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
India also reassured its continued commitment towards supporting the development of Afghanistan.
As per the MEA, the two sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, including cooperation in the fields of humanitarian assistance, development partnership, food security, healthcare, capacity building, education, sports, trade, visa and connectivity.
On Wednesday, he held a bilateral meeting with Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, to review the existing agricultural partnership between the two countries and discuss new avenues for cooperation.
Food security, seed systems and crop productivity emerged as key areas of discussion. The Afghan side highlighted the importance of wheat to its agricultural economy and sought India's cooperation in improving wheat productivity through advanced seed technologies and research collaboration.
Chouhan conveyed India's readiness to support Afghanistan through quality wheat, maize and potato seeds, climate-resilient and biofortified crop varieties, and the scientific expertise of ICAR institutions to strengthen Afghanistan's seed systems and agricultural production.
Afghanistan's Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Mawlawi Ataullah Omari, arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday.
— ANI
Reader Comments
It's touching that the Afghan minister feels at home here. India has always been a welcoming nation, and helping our friends in need is part of our culture. Hope this collaboration brings peace and prosperity to Afghanistan. 80% population in agriculture is huge!
While this cooperation is welcome, we must be cautious. The current Afghan administration hasn't been recognised by many countries. We should ensure that our aid reaches the people on the ground and not get diverted. But yes, helping Afghan farmers is a noble cause.
This is a smart diplomatic move by India. By focusing on agriculture and providing seeds and technology, you're building long-term goodwill. The mention of 'DNA is one' shows cultural closeness too. Hope this translates into real benefits for Afghan farmers.
India's ICAR institutions are world-class, and sharing our expertise in wheat and maize seeds is a great idea. Afghanistan produces some delicious dry fruits - imagine if they could also process and package them better. Win-win for both countries! 😊
This is the kind of diplomacy we need - practical help for common people. Agriculture is the backbone of any economy, and if we can help Afghanistan improve yields and reduce post-harvest losses, it will make a real difference. Also glad to see food security being discussed as a priority.
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