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PPPs could help spur the development of the food processing industry, one of the
newest sectors in Indian agriculture. The food processing industry must do more
than just increase the shelf life of food, preserve food nutrients and provide
fortified products. Instead, supported by government and private investments, it
should also look at providing farm extension services, enhance price realization,
cut out intermediaries and improve the supply chain through forward and
backward linkages.
In the same way, PPP projects, when targeted at helping farmers connect with
their marketplaces and financial institutions for micro-funding, can usher in
massive alterations in the rural economy.
While PPPs in the agri space are not commonplace, they need to be. The
Maharashtra government has already made a start with its Maharashtra Public-
Private Partnership for Integrated Agriculture Development (PPPIAD) project.
Under the aegis of this initiative, Maharashtra is developing integrated value
chains for selected crops through PPPs and co-investment.
Part of the World Economic Forums New Vision for Agriculture, the project aims
to develop integrated value chains. What began with 11 projects in 2012-13 now
encompasses 33 value chain programmes, with more than 60 participating
companies. The project focuses on 15 key crops and has already reached almost
half a million farmers, with a target of 5 million by 2020.
PPPs like the Maharashtra project are the way to go for Indias agricultural sector.
They are proving to be an important step in renewing and rejuvenating rural
economies and leading them to inclusive and sustainable growth.