The 2^nd edition of the AgroChem Summit 2023 ((https://www.indianchemicalnews.com/agrochem-summit-2024/), orgainised by Indian Chemical New, will kickstart on Friday with participation from the who's who of the  agrochemical industry, and the Minister of State - Chemicals and Fertilizers, Bhagwanth Khuba addressing the industry leaders.

The event is a premium platform for the leaders of the industry to discuss and debate upon some of the most pressing challenges of the agrochemical industry and share experiences from their domain.

The theme of the AgroChem Summit 2023 is "Boosting Production Through Sustainable Agriculture Practices".

Khubai, who is the Chief Guest at the Summit, would set the tone of the discussion in his speech, kickstarting the inaugural session at The Park, Parliament Street, New Delhi in the presence of top CEOs, policy makers, industry executives, researchers and other key stakeholders.

Apart from Khuba, the inaugural session would witness addresses by R. G. Agarwal, Group Chairman, Dhanuka Agritech Ltd.; Prof. V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice Chancellor, Somaiya Vidyavihar University; Deepak Shah, Chairman, SML Ltd.; and Pravin Prashant, Executive Editor, Indian Chemical News.

The event would witness five panel discussion on various topics, including innovative agrochemicals for supporting the growth of the sector; Regulatory framework for agrochemicals; Precision Agriculture, Balanced use of Agrochemicals, and Farmers Education; Innovations in Branding, Packaging and Delivery Systems and Strategies for Market Penetration and Growth in Global Market.

Being an integral part of agricultural practices in India, the government has identified agrochemicals as one of the 12 champion industries that can play a significant role in the global supply chain. However, despite being the world's fourth-largest agrochemical producer, industry experts point towards a plethora of issues which if addressed on priority could help unlock its full growth potential.

With a market value of approximately US $6.5 billion, India's agrochemical industry is the fourth largest globally and contributed significantly in marking India self-reliant in food grains. However, there is a growing need for environmental preservation as agrochemicals have a negative impact on the environment and human health as well. Although the agrochemical industry has responded to this by introducing various environment friendly crop solutions, there is a need for eco-friendly agrochemicals for sustainable agriculture to meet the present needs of farmers and consumers without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

There is no doubt that agrochemicals play an essential role in agriculture growth. The average pre-harvest crop loss attributed to plant pathogens accounts for up to 35% of total crops. Hence, the role of agrochemicals in avoiding excessive crop loss cannot be neglected. However, their persistence and intensive use has been threatening natural environments and human health.

The use of sustainable agriculture practices and eco-friendly agrochemicals is essential for preserving soil fertility, protecting water resources, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These practices help farmers to produce healthy and nutritious food while safeguarding the environment for future generations. Therefore, there is a need for promoting sustainable agriculture and the use of eco-friendly agrochemicals to ensure a healthy and sustainable global food system.

The Summit is supported by the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India. Gold partners are: Godrej Agrovet Ltd., SML Ltd; and Somaiya Vidyavihar University. Industry association supporting AgroChem Summit 2023 are: Agro Chem Federation of India (ACFI); Crop Care Federation of India (CCFI); Crop Life India (CLI), Pesticides Manufacturers & Formulators Association of India (PMFAI); and Biological Agri Solutions Association of India (BASAI).