Sunil Mittal says 60% of world's arable, uncultivated land in Africa; adopting Africa for agri can change world

New Delhi: Africa's arable, uncultivated and fertile land can offer solution to food crisis, Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chair of B20 India Action Council on African Economic Integration, said, adding that adopting Africa as a place to do agriculture can potentially change the world.

Mittal said Africa economic integration is gaining momentum, and expressed hope that the Africa Union will soon become a permanent member of G20.

Mittal asserted that African voice in G20 is "absolutely important".

"Sixty per cent of world's arable and yet uncultivated land is in Africa...today we have all seen the crisis that the world is going through on food production...Just adopt Africa as place to do agriculture, perhaps some value added agriculture...the entire world can change," he said speaking at B20 Summit India 2023.

Mittal, who is Bharti Enterprises Chairperson, described Africa as the last continent of hope.

"...one of the most populous young continent around the globe, but equally one of the most backward parts of the world. It really needs to get attention, and I'm glad that India will be taking leadership in this particular area," he said.

Land in parts of African continent is so fertile that "you just throw seeds and crop will grow, the land is so fertile there...and yet even that is not being done," he said.

"Five, ten per cent of their 60 per cent of uncultivated land can dramatically alter the food chain and food ecosystem of the world. In my own opinion, India's focus this time in G20 to direct energies towards Africa is the right one," Mittal said.

Meanwhile, the B20 India Task Force on Tech, Innovation and R&D has given a broad set of recommendations, including development of centralised B20 collaboration models on AI, and setting up a virtual digital lab and library as a platform to promote cross-border collaborations.

Outlining the recommendations at the B20 Summit India 2023, Kris Gopalakrishnan, Chair of the task force, termed technology as key driver for change.

This task force on tech, innovation and R&D has mooted development of centralised B20 collaboration models on AI, and setting up a virtual digital lab and library as a platform to promote cross-border collaboration.

The Business 20 (B20) is the official G20 dialogue forum with the global business community.