About ICFA

Indian Chamber of Food and Agriculture is the apex body in India, working on business, policy and development agenda and serving as global platform for trade facilitation, partnerships, technology and agribusiness services. With its 27 industry Working Groups and sector specific Business Councils, ICFA represents the interests of key stakeholders at the national level and through its international platforms and partnerships, ICFA facilitates India's global engagement in food and agriculture sector.

ICFA Membership

As a Member of ICFA, you will access a plethora of opportunities, from networking with the high ups in the Government, State officials, diplomats, top experts, foreign visiting delegations and Corporate CEOs of Indian and Global industry to assisting in framing agri economic and industrial policies, through close linkage with the Government. ICFA focuses on helping its member organizations to increase efficiency and competitiveness by serving as a global platform for policies and trade facilitation, partnerships, technology, investments and agribusiness services.

ICFA has 14 Working Groups and more are being created, 6 State and District Agriculture Councils on different business interests which regularly take up national and global issues of prime importance to the interests of its Members. These bodies continuously interact with the Central and State Governments and play an important role in the shaping of India's agriculture policies.

ICFA also provides platform to its members to project their issues and agenda to the concerned authorities. It also organizes sectorial conferences/ seminars/ workshops and coordinates interactive sessions with the policy makers, experts, embassies and with the industry groups themselves towards creating broader policy and business agenda and opportunities. ICFA has been hosting foreign business delegations, world leaders, Global CEOs, economists, scientists, and thought leaders for interaction with its members. ICFA also mounts delegations in collaboration with embassies providing opportunities for its members to explore newer markets, technologies, business opportunities and also makes special efforts to emphasize its member's view-points in policy formulations.

ICFA has a major thrust on working towards empowerment of farmers realizing their agri potential, creating jobs and additional farm output by providing them voice at the national, states and district levels. Taking this forward, ICFA launched a first of its kind All India Farmers Alliance in Sept 2016 at New Delhi. The AIFA is comprised of 44 farmer organizations and involves more than a million members till date and now creating state and district chapters throughout the country. The alliance aims creating a pro farmer and pro-agriculture environment.

ICFA intents of acting as a national platform for interfacing concerned stakeholders, institutions, and public and private sectors involved in creating, standardizing and disseminating agricultural knowledge to forge synergistic alliances and to promote and advocate resource and policy support leading to a vibrant agrarian economy and national prosperity. Our members include blue chip food and agri companies, major business houses, PSUs, developmental bodies, state governments, research and academic institutions, farmers and eminent individuals.

ICFA Agenda for Policy Reforms

Agriculture forms a strong pillar of Indian economy, as more than 50% population draws its livelihood it, making it vital for economic growth and social transformation. Agriculture in 21st century has been revolutionized by latest advancements in research and technology, supported by series of policy reforms. The economic reforms post liberalization have brought about opening up of the domestic markets, deregulation, and increased competitiveness in this sector, raising both challenges and opportunities. With advancements, the scope for agriculture and agri business growth is huge, but creating a sustainable ecosystem is challenge, given the pressure of feeding more from less.

In India, agriculture is controlled by a large number of rules and regulations. And being a State subject, sector lacks uniformity in policies across the country. Though government is supporting the sector via focus on inputs, extension, exports, technology and value addition, aspects like land leasing, contract farming, farm subsidies, market linkages, power and irrigation and small farmers' livelihoods are inadequately addressed. The farm sector is vital for the economy and yet continues to receive low priority in national economic planning and policies. Power of policies is huge and needs to be leveraged upon to unleash the growth potential of food and agriculture sector as well as empowering the farms and farmers.

Policies form the basis of sound economic and social development of a nation. Need based policy advocacy supported by research, can play an important role in creating favorable policy and economic eco-system to advancing towards sustainable agriculture, and food and nutrition security for all. ICFA works with the government and other key stake-holders in advancing towards a progressive regulation, and effective advocacy through a series of engagement programs with the policy makers at the states and the national level. ICFA focusses on growth, sustainability and farmers income.