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 have access to a wide range of opportunities, including networking with high-ranking government officials, state representatives, diplomats, top experts, foreign delegations, and CEOs from Indian and global industries. You will also have the chance to assist in shaping agricultural and industrial policies through close collaboration with the government. ICFA is dedicated to helping its members increase efficiency and competitiveness by serving as a global platform for policy and trade facilitation, partnerships, technology, investments, and agribusiness services.

ICFA has 14 Working Groups, with more in development, and 6 State and District Agriculture Councils focusing on various business interests. These groups regularly address national and global issues critical to the interests of its members, continuously interacting with central and state governments to play a significant role in shaping India’s agricultural policies.

ICFA provides a platform for its members to present their issues and agendas to relevant authorities. It organizes sector-specific conferences, seminars, workshops, and interactive sessions with policymakers, experts, embassies, and industry groups to create broader policy and business agendas and opportunities. ICFA hosts foreign business delegations, global leaders, CEOs, economists, scientists, and thought leaders to engage with its members and collaborates with embassies to mount delegations, offering members opportunities to explore new markets, technologies, and business prospects. ICFA also makes special efforts to ensure its members’ viewpoints are considered in policy formulations.

ICFA is committed to empowering farmers by helping them realize their agricultural potential, creating jobs, and increasing farm output by giving them a voice at the national, state, and district levels. To advance this mission, ICFA launched the All India Farmers Alliance (AIFA) in September 2016 in New Delhi. The AIFA comprises 44 farmer organizations and includes over a million members, with state and district chapters being established across the country. The alliance aims to create a pro-farmer and pro-agriculture environment.

ICFA seeks to act as a national platform for interfacing stakeholders, institutions, and public and private sectors involved in creating, standardizing, and disseminating agricultural knowledge. It aims to forge synergistic alliances and promote resource and policy support leading to a vibrant agrarian economy and national prosperity. ICFA’s members include blue-chip food and agriculture 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.