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Afghanistan's Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock Mawlawi Ataullah Omari, accompanied by a high-level delegation, concluded their visit to India on Sunday with committment to continued momentum in the bilateral engagement between the two nations and assured agricultural cooperation.
The Ministry of External Affairs stated that this was the fourth ministerial-level visit from Afghanistan to India since October 2025. The ministry said that during the visit, the Afghan Minister met with the Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and the two sides reviewed ongoing cooperation and explored new avenues for collaboration in agriculture, irrigation, livestock, agricultural research, education, capacity building and agri-trade. Food security, seed systems and enhancement of crop productivity featured prominently in the discussions. India reiterated its commitment to supporting Afghanistan's agricultural sector through cooperation in climate-resilient and bio-fortified crop varieties, sustainable irrigation practices, water harvesting, watershed development and other areas of mutual interest, the MEA stated. In another significant meeting, the Afghan Minister also met Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan, during which the discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in food processing through value addition, infrastructure development, technology transfer, capacity building and promotion of bilateral trade in agricultural and food products. The MEA further stated that the Afghan Minister also met Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, and exchanged views on ongoing bilateral cooperation aimed at supporting the welfare and development of the Afghan people. The delegation also interacted with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), International Potato Centre (CIP), International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), the MEA noted. (ANI)
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