Dr. Vignesh Janakiraman, Country Head, TIMAC AGRO India
‘India-France Partnership: Building a Green Future’
In a bid to combat the triple challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, both France and India have announced their ambition to become a net-zero emitter by 2050 & 2070, respectively1 . Outside areas of power and industrial collaborations, the food & agriculture sector is the largest driver for enhancing our bilateral sustainability efforts.2
Having become the world's most populous country, food security is paramount to India’s future. Agriculture currently contributes close to 18% of India’s 3274 Mt annual CO2 emissions3 , and our drive to becoming carbon neutral requires significant reductions in scope 3 emissions. Improving electrification of on-farm equipment, improved fertilizer & input management practices, and animal feed optimization will contribute to greater than 70% of estimated GHG reduction by 2050.
The France-India partnership has been pioneering the efforts in building a green future. Schneider Electric has been enabling clean energy access to farmers through their Villaya Agri-business4 solution: by installing microgrids, solar-powered pumps, and value-addition mechanization to help farmers make a higher return on investment. TIMAC AGRO India has brought in their high Nutrient Uptake Efficiency fertilisers, now widely available across South India. Several animal feed players, including Serval Animal Nutrition, Techna, Phosphea, have brought in optimized animal feed solutions from France to India. The joint venture between Fromagerie Bel and Britannia is an example of enhancing synergies in food processing. The creation of Food & Agri club of the IFCCI was another step in putting forward the strengthening collaborations between the two trade partners towards a sustainable future.
The Indo-French business diaspora and the chamber have been proactive in championing this drive in the year India held the G20 presidency. In January 2023, the IFCCI sustainability conclave brought in not only the large corporates like Saint Gobain, Schneider Electric, Groupe Roullier, but also showcased in the forefront budding start-ups working on bringing in sustainable practices.
Unveiling the “Horizon 2047” roadmap, India and France emphasized on their partnership for the planet: through financing the energy transition, decarbonizing hydrogen and exploring the blue economy. The upcoming 25-years of partnership between India & France would shape the pace in which we achieve our carbon neutrality goals.