Common Futures

Sustainability
significantly expand installed renewable energy capacity in the country. Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has targeted 100 GW of solar power by 2022,
50% of which has been targeted for rooftop solar panels. The potential for
cooperation in the area of renewable energy, particularly solar, is therefore
immense between India and Africa.
Both India and
African nations have
stressed the need
for any agreement in
Paris to be equitable
and take into account
the special needs
and vulnerabilities of
both regions.
Another important area for cooperation is the field of agriculture. Given that
both regions have largely agriculture based economies, it is vital that climate
smart practices are developed and adaptation in the sector of agriculture is
scaled up. Farmers in both regions need to transition from traditional, older
practices to modern methods of farming which take into account updated
climate and weather knowledge and employ new technology to de-risk from
climate impacts. Africa – India collaboration in this sphere is already innovating
(such as producing crop – animal mixing which raises yields), along with the
capital needed to fund agricultural innovation. 8 A potentially fruitful area for
collaboration is irrigation technology. India has built up expertise in the field
of rainwater harvesting as a result of its experiences with rainwater storage
and dispersal needed for agriculture, with natural rainfall only occurring for
3-4 months per year. Companies like Jain Irrigation for example are investing
in countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Nigeria to bring
India’s water conservation practices to Africa. 9
Further up the value chain, opportunities for collaboration exist in
improving agricultural productivity, increased mechanization of processes,
food processing and water management technology, all of which will enable
subsistence farmers in India and Africa to be more competitive in the global
market.
Conclusion
For India and Africa to lead their populations into higher standards of
living and build sustainable, resilient societies, they must shed some of the
inhibitions which marked their previous engagement, marked by the salience
of historical injustices suffered at the hands of colonial powers. A forward
looking, ambitious agenda must replace the collaboration of old which sought
to join hands in desperation rather than ambition.
New ideas and partnerships can take off in the area of climate change which
is a particularly acute problem for both regions, and where there exists
significant potential for cooperation. The lack of infrastructure and energy
system in both regions also means that they are not ‘locked in’ with old,
inefficient and polluting power generation systems. Instead the opportunity
to build new, green and sustainable infrastructure should be seized upon. An
Africa – India partnership will not just reinvigorate the climate agenda, but
also provide a model for South – South cooperation in the developing world
and may lead to collaboration in other spheres of interest.
8 India Africa CONNECT,“Agriculture/Energy”, accessed 7 th October 2015, http://www.
indiaafricaconnect.in/index.php?param=category/agriculture-energy/104
9 “Jain Irrigation to Invest $375 million in African Countries,” Economic Times, May 21, 2012, accessed
October 7 th 2015. http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-05-21/news/31801095_1_
jisl-jain-irrigation-systems-drip
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