By: S.AYYAPPAN
Indo Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) is a programme fully sponsored by the Ministry
of External Affairs (MEA) with a view to develop Indo-Africa cooperation by helping African countries to develop their own potential for development in human resource and agricultureetc. Furthering cooperation,the
impetus of the two India Africa Forum Summits in 2008 (Box 1) and 2011 (Box 2) has strengthened cooperation. Both prioritized agricultural cooperation, which according to leaders on
both sides offers great potential, given the strong complementarities between them. India’s move towards economic and technical cooperation in African agricultural since 2000 must also be seen against the backdrop of declining support from traditional donors.
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Box 1: Salient Points of the First Summit
The Department of Agricultural Research & Education (DARE) under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India has been entrusted with the capacity building of African countries through
Agricultural education of African students in different Agricultural Universities/ Deemed Universities of Indian Council of Agricultural Research. In accordance, the students from Africa are being admitted in Indian Agricultural Universities for M. Sc. and
Ph. D. programmes. This initiative has received very good response from the African students; 49 students got admission for various courses during the first year of its launch in 2010 itself and 57 in the second year. Further, various training programmes were
also organised in India under IAFS-I for capacity building of African scientists.
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Participants at both Summits decided to strengthen cooperation in land development, water management, agricultural plantation, breeding technologies, food security and agro-processing machinery, while investing in combating agro-based
diseases and engaging in experimental and demonstrative projects and training. Leaders at the 2011 Summit agreed to develop scientific research for raising agricultural productivity and conserving the environment. The aim of the agreement was to ensure food
security of their people and bring down the rising cost of food.
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Box 2: Salient Points of the Second Summit
Further to implementation of IAFS-I, the MEA has also launched the second step for adding vigour to Indo-Africa relationship which would lay the foundation of a new architecture for a structured communication and cooperation between India and African partners
in the 21st century. Thus MEA launched IAFS-II (Indo-Africa Forum Summit-II). In addition to the capacity building through Agricultural education, DARE has also been entrusted to establish some centres in the Africa such as (a) Soil, Water and Tissue
Testing Laboratories; (b) Farm Science Centres; and (c) Agricultural Seed Production-cum-Demonstration Centres. The work relating to establishment of these centres have been taken up with the Ministry of External Affairs. Many countries in Africa have identified
locations, building, etc. for the projects and some countries have already been visited by experts from India to study the existing infrastructure.
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India focuses on building capacity and sharing experience, particularly in research and knowledge. Teams
of farm experts from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) have gone to Africa to acquire first-hand knowledge of how African countries explore ways of improving their agricultural practices. The capacity building programme provides scholarship
to 75 students from African countries annually agricultural universities in India. Moreover, Government of India proposes to establish new institutions in agriculture and rural development sector, and on mutual grounds, it has been agreed upon to exchange
scientists, scholars, technologies and literature and to collaborate on research projects.
India also made a commitment to raise credit facilities for African agriculture. The largest line of credit approved by Exim Bank outside the Indian subcontinent is with Ethiopia ($640 million) for its Tindaho Sugar Project, which is also
expected to facilitate Indian investments. The Exim Bank also extended a line of credit of $27 million to Senegal for the export of equipment for irrigation projects in 2006. At the 2011 summit, Prime Minister Singh announced a grant of $ 160 million to Senegal
for the second phase of the agricultural mechanization programme.
India-Africa Fellowship Programme
To support theagriculturalhuman resource development in Africa, Government of India has implemented placements for 300 fellowships (75 per yeari.e.
50 Masters and 25 Ph.D.) to be provided for 4 years (2010-14) for students/faculty/professionals of African continent. The Fellowship programme started in the year 2010-11. The outcome of the programme is as follows:
- A total of 195 candidates (119 Master's and 76 Ph.D.) have joined higher degree programme, at various Indian Agriculture University/Deemed University/research Institutes.
- Out of 195 candidates, 78 Master's and 27 Ph.D. students have successfully completed their programme.
- Maximum enrolments of candidates under the scheme are from the countries: Nigeria, Ethiopia and Sudan.
- Gender wise breaks up shows participation of 162 Males and 33 females under India Africa Fellowship Scheme.
- Enrolment of Tanzanian females is more than males in Masters’ programme.
- Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) Coimbatore hosted maximum number of African candidates to pursue higher degree programmes.
- Discipline Agricultural Economics has been the major area of interest by Africans.
The India-Africa Fellowship programme under IAFS I has been running successfully and it is believed that Indian government shall very soon implement renewal of India-Africa Fellowship Programme.DARE
also organised a meeting of H.E. the Ambassadors/High Commissioners of African countries in India on the 15th September, 2015 in India, where several aspects of cooperation in agricultural sectors were discussed, including modalities for implementing
the projects proposed under IAFS and facilitating more and better opportunities for African students studying in India.
Status as on 12.10.15
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Table 1. India-Africa Fellowship Programme Enrolment Status
|
|
Academic Year
|
Enrolled Students
|
|
Masters
|
PhD
|
Total
|
|
Male
|
Female
|
Total
|
Male
|
Female
|
Total
|
|
2010 - 11
|
27
|
7
|
34
|
14
|
1
|
15
|
49
|
|
2011 - 12
|
16
|
10
|
26
|
16
|
0
|
16
|
42
|
|
2012 - 13
|
16
|
2
|
18
|
12
|
2
|
14
|
32
|
|
2013 – 14
|
34
|
5
|
39
|
22
|
4
|
26
|
65
|
|
2014 – 15
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
5
|
07
|
|
Total
|
95
|
24
|
119
|
67
|
9
|
76
|
195
|
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Table 2. India-Africa Fellowship Programme Graduation Status
|
|
Academic Year
|
Degree holders under IAFS
|
|
Masters
|
PhD
|
Total
|
|
Male
|
Female
|
Total
|
Male
|
Female
|
Total
|
|
2010 - 11
|
25
|
7
|
32
|
14
|
1
|
15
|
47
|
|
2011 - 12
|
13
|
9
|
22
|
7
|
0
|
7
|
29
|
|
2012 - 13
|
9
|
2
|
11
|
5
|
0
|
5
|
16
|
|
2013 - 14
|
13
|
0
|
13
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
12
|
|
Total
|
60
|
18
|
78
|
26
|
1
|
27
|
105
|
|
Table 3. Students Enrolled under India-Africa Fellowship Programme
|
|
No
|
Scholars
Country of Origin
|
Number of Candidates Enrolled
|
|
Masters
|
PhD
|
Total
|
|
Male
|
Female
|
Total
|
Male
|
Female
|
Total
|
|
1
|
Benin
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
2
|
Botswana
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
4
|
|
3
|
Burundi
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
|
4
|
Cameroon
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
3
|
|
5
|
D.R. Congo
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
6
|
Egypt
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
1
|
4
|
7
|
|
7
|
Eritrea
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
|
8
|
Ethiopia
|
17
|
2
|
19
|
12
|
2
|
14
|
33
|
|
9
|
Ghana
|
7
|
2
|
9
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
11
|
|
10
|
Kenya
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
11
|
Lesotho
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
12
|
Liberia
|
4
|
1
|
5
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
6
|
|
13
|
Malawi
|
18
|
1
|
19
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
20
|
|
14
|
Mozambique
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
15
|
Namibia
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
|
16
|
Niger republic
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
17
|
Nigeria
|
14
|
2
|
16
|
18
|
1
|
19
|
35
|
|
18
|
Rwanda
|
4
|
3
|
7
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
8
|
|
19
|
Seychelles
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
20
|
Sierra Leon
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
|
21
|
Somalia
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
22
|
Sudan
|
5
|
3
|
8
|
11
|
2
|
13
|
21
|
|
23
|
Swaziland
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
24
|
Tanzania
|
3
|
5
|
8
|
4
|
1
|
5
|
13
|
|
25
|
Uganda
|
5
|
0
|
5
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
7
|
|
26
|
Zambia
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
|
27
|
Zimbabwe
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
4
|
|
Total
|
95
|
24
|
119
|
67
|
9
|
76
|
195
|
|
Table 4. Students Completed under India- Africa Fellowship Programme
|
|
No
|
Scholars
Country of Origin
|
Number of Candidates completed
|
|
Masters
|
PhD
|
Total
|
|
Male
|
Female
|
Total
|
Male
|
Female
|
Total
|
|
1
|
Benin
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
2
|
Botswana
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
|
3
|
Burundi
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
|
4
|
Cameroon
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
|
5
|
D.R. Congo
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
6
|
Egypt
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
4
|
|
7
|
Ethiopia
|
8
|
0
|
8
|
4
|
0
|
4
|
12
|
|
8
|
Ghana
|
2
|
2
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
|
9
|
Kenya
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
10
|
Lesotho
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
11
|
Liberia
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
|
12
|
Malawi
|
10
|
1
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
11
|
|
13
|
Mozambique
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
14
|
Namibia
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
|
15
|
Niger Republic
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
16
|
Nigeria
|
9
|
1
|
10
|
4
|
1
|
4
|
14
|
|
17
|
Rwanda
|
3
|
3
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
|
18
|
Sierra Leon
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
|
19
|
Sudan
|
4
|
2
|
6
|
5
|
0
|
5
|
11
|
|
20
|
Swaziland
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
21
|
Tanzania
|
3
|
5
|
8
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
10
|
|
22
|
Uganda
|
4
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
|
23
|
Zambia
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
|
24
|
Zimbabwe
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
|
Total
|
60
|
18
|
78
|
26
|
1
|
27
|
105
|
S. AYYAPPAN
Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research & Education, and Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi 110001
Email: dg.icar@nic.in