Union Minister Chirag Paswan inaugurates SAPLING 2026 in Ahmedabad, spotlighting food processing as a catalyst for jobs, nutrition, and regional growth across South Asia.
In a significant push towards transforming South Asia’s agri-food systems, Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Chirag Paswan inaugurated the Regional High-Level Policy Dialogue “Unlocking Value: Advancing Food Processing for Employment Generation and Sustainable Growth in South Asia” on June 9, 2026, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
The two-day event, co-hosted by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) and the World Bank Group-led SAPLING (South Asian Policy Leadership for Improved Nutrition and Growth) initiative, brings together around 200 participants including policymakers, industry leaders, innovators, researchers, startups, and representatives from across South Asia.
The dialogue aligns with broader goals of building resilient, nutrition-focused food systems. It emphasizes moving beyond primary production to value addition, reducing post-harvest losses, generating employment, and fostering inclusive economic growth.
India’s Vision for a Global Food Processing Hub
Addressing the inaugural session, Chirag Paswan underscored India’s emergence as a global food processing powerhouse. He described food processing as the vital bridge between agriculture and prosperity, with immense potential to boost farmer incomes, curb wastage, enhance food security, and create sustainable livelihoods.
“Food processing is not just an industry; it is a driver of economic transformation,” Paswan stated. He highlighted India’s policy initiatives, infrastructure development, and technology adoption that are creating globally competitive value chains. The minister called for greater regional collaboration to position South Asia as a leader in sustainable food systems.
India has made notable strides. According to a report released at the event titled “Assessment of the Level of Food Processing in India,” overall processing levels have risen from around 10 per cent in 2016 to nearly 17 per cent in 2023. The study identifies opportunities in perishable commodities like fruits, vegetables, and dairy, offering policy recommendations for infrastructure, loss reduction, and competitiveness.
World Bank and Partners Emphasize Investment and Innovation
Senior dignitaries including Mr. Paul Procee, Acting Country Director for India, World Bank; Archna Vyas, Country Director for India, Gates Foundation; and Avinash Joshi, Secretary, MoFPI, participated in the opening plenary. The World Bank Group stressed that transforming food systems beyond farm production could generate millions of jobs, attract billions in investments, reduce poverty, and accelerate regional growth.
SAPLING serves as a platform for policy reform, investment mobilization, and scaling innovations. It complements the World Bank’s AgriConnect initiative, promoting private sector participation in value chains for nutrition security and climate resilience.
Gujarat’s Agriculture Minister Jitubhai Vaghani welcomed the international participation and advocated for a National Institute for Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management campus in the state to bridge agriculture and industry.
Key Themes and Practical Solutions
The event features thematic sessions on critical areas:
- Think Big, Act Local: Unlocking South Asia’s Food Processing Opportunity.
- From Farm to Factory: Strengthening Agricultural Supply Chains.
- Formalizing informal food processors.
- Smart Tech and Innovations in Processing.
- Food Safety, Quality, and Market Access.
- Mobilizing Investment for Growth.
- Regional Collaboration and Policy Action.
An Innovation Fair showcases solutions in cold chain logistics, digital traceability, sustainable packaging, and smart technologies, fostering partnerships between innovators, policymakers, and industry.
Participants include representatives from Nestlé, Bayer, Rabobank, Ajinomoto, ITC, SEWA, NABARD, and Food Industry Asia, ensuring diverse perspectives on scaling impact.
Broader Context and India’s Progress
South Asia produces food at an extraordinary scale but loses significant value due to limited processing. The region faces challenges like high post-harvest losses, informal sector dominance, and climate vulnerabilities. Food processing offers a pathway to retain more value domestically, empower women and MSMEs, and build resilient systems.
Under schemes like PMFME (Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises), India supports micro-enterprises, incubation centres, and skill development. The sector already employs over 70 lakh people, including a substantial women workforce, across lakhs of units.
Experts note that increasing processing levels can significantly raise farmer incomes by enabling access to distant markets and reducing perishability issues. Technology adoption – AI for traceability, automation in sorting/packaging, and sustainable practices – will be pivotal.
Aligns with Viksit Bharat
The SAPLING Dialogue aims to foster cross-country learning, private investment, and MSME support. Outcomes are expected to include actionable policy recommendations, investment pipelines, and strengthened regional cooperation.
As India aspires to become a “global food basket,” initiatives like this position it as a leader sharing expertise with neighbours. Paswan’s vision aligns with Viksit Bharat, where food processing drives employment, nutrition, and sustainable development.
The two-day deliberations in Ahmedabad could mark a turning point, translating dialogue into tangible investments and innovations that benefit millions across South Asia. With collective action, the region can turn its agricultural abundance into shared prosperity.
