Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Chirag Paswan, on Tuesday inaugurated SAPLING (South Asian Policy Leadership for Improved Nutrition and Growth) Dialogue 2026, a regional high-level policy forum aimed at advancing food processing for employment generation and sustainable growth across South Asia.
The two-day event, titled “Unlocking Value: Advancing Food Processing for Employment Generation and Sustainable Growth in South Asia”, is being held in Ahmedabad on June 9 and 10. Organised jointly by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) and the World Bank Group-led SAPLING initiative, the dialogue has brought together around 200 participants, including policymakers, industry leaders, development partners, researchers, innovators, startups and representatives from countries across South Asia.
Addressing the inaugural session, Paswan highlighted India’s emergence as a major food processing hub and stressed the importance of value addition, technology adoption and regional cooperation in transforming the region’s food economy.
Describing food processing as a vital link between agriculture and prosperity, the minister said the sector has immense potential to generate employment, reduce post-harvest losses, improve farmers’ incomes and strengthen food security. He added that policy reforms and infrastructure development are helping India build globally competitive food value chains.
Gujarat Agriculture Minister Jitubhai Vaghani welcomed delegates from across the region and described food processing as a key driver of agricultural transformation. He reiterated the state’s commitment to promoting agro-industrial growth and advocated establishing a National Institute for Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management campus in Gujarat to bridge the gap between agriculture and industry.
The opening plenary was attended by senior officials, including Paul Procee, Acting Country Director for India at the World Bank, Archna Vyas, Country Director for India at the Gates Foundation, and Avinash Joshi, Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
The dialogue features discussions on strengthening agricultural supply chains, formalising informal food processors, promoting technology-driven innovation, improving food safety standards, mobilising investments and enhancing regional collaboration to accelerate food processing-led growth across South Asia.
Representatives from leading organisations, including Nestlé, Bayer, Rabobank, Ajinomoto, ITC, SEWA, NABARD and Food Industry Asia, are participating in the deliberations.
An Innovation Fair has also been organised alongside the event, showcasing advancements in cold chain logistics, digital traceability, sustainable packaging, smart processing technologies and storage systems. The exhibition aims to foster partnerships among policymakers, innovators and industry stakeholders.
During the event, ministers and dignitaries released the report titled “Assessment of the Level of Food Processing in India”. The report found that the country’s overall food processing levels increased from around 10 per cent in 2016 to nearly 17 per cent in 2023. It also highlighted significant opportunities for value addition in fruits, vegetables and dairy products, while recommending measures to strengthen infrastructure, reduce post-harvest losses, enhance farmer incomes and improve India’s competitiveness in the global food economy.
SAPLING is aligned with the World Bank Group’s AgriConnect initiative and seeks to promote resilient, nutrition-focused food systems across South Asia through policy reforms, investment mobilisation and technology-driven solutions. The dialogue is expected to encourage cross-country learning, strengthen regional cooperation, attract private investment and support MSMEs in the food processing sector.
