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's agriculture sector, which supports the majority of its population. Speaking at the India-Afghanistan Trade Opportunities Industry Interactive Session organised by PHDCCI under the aegis of the Ministry of External Affairs, Omari highlighted that 80 per cent of Afghanistan's population is involved in livestock, agriculture, and irrigation, making modernisation a critical priority.
First Visit to India
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 Afghans, stating 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 livestock, agriculture, and irrigation; it is now the time to modernise them with new technology."
Need for Modern Infrastructure and Training
While acknowledging that Afghanistan produces high-quality fruits, Omari noted the lack of modern infrastructure and training to maximise 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 also noted that the current Afghan administration is working to unify the country's development efforts and is actively seeking foreign cooperation to drive prosperity.
Review of Bilateral Ties
Meanwhile, India and Afghanistan took stock of bilateral ties during the 4th round of the India-Afghanistan Joint Committee Meeting in New Delhi on Thursday, according to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). India reassured its continued commitment towards supporting Afghanistan's development. The MEA stated that the two sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, including cooperation in humanitarian assistance, development partnership, food security, healthcare, capacity building, education, sports, trade, visa, and connectivity.
Bilateral Meeting with Indian Agriculture Minister
On Wednesday, Omari held a bilateral meeting with Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, to review the existing agricultural partnership 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. Omari arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday for his visit.
