In a significant bid to boost food security, India on Thursday signed a long term agreement for purchase of pulses from Mozambique as the two sides decided to fast-track cooperation in the agricultural sector.
As part of the agreement, there will be an export of pulses including Tur, for five financial years. The aim is to double the trade from 100,000 tonnes in 2016-17 to 200,000 tonnes is 2020-21.
Stating that both countries were strengthening their partnership in food security, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said:
India’s commitment to buy pulses from Mozambique would help meet India’s requirement. It will also facilitate long-term investments in commercial farming, generate farm employment and raise farmer’s incomes in this country.
During 2015-16, the total pulses production in the country was estimated to be 17 million tonnes. In addition, 5.79 million tonnes of pulses were imported to meet the domestic demand.
However, the quantity was not enough to neutralise an increase in the prices of pulses in 2015-16 and the current year.
The agreement with Mozambique is, therefore, an attempt to mitigate the shortfall in availability of pulses.
There were two other memorandums of understanding signed– one on cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking and the other on youth affairs and sports.
Modi also stressed on the safety and security of the people of the two countries. An agreement on prevention of drug trafficking was also signed between the two sides.
Mozambique is the destination of around a quarter of India’s investments in Africa totalling around $8 billion.
This is Modi’s first official visit to mainland Africa and is also the first prime ministerial visit from India to Mozambique in 34 years since the visit of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1982.
Apart from Mozambique and South Africa, he will also visit Tanzania and Kenya during his African sojourn.
(This article was published as a special arrangement with IANS.)
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