ROME, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- India will host the first global conference on agro-industries from April 8-11, 2008, the United Nations' Agriculture and Food Organization (FAO) said here on Wednesday.

    The Global Agro-Industries Forum (GAIF) will promote the importance of agro-industries for economic development and poverty reduction, according to FAO.

    Around 500 senior representatives from the agro-industry, governments, technical and financing institutions, civil society and UN agencies will discuss the potential of agro-industries and the challenges they are facing.

    The conference is jointly organized by FAO, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), in close collaboration with the government of India.

    Rapid globalization, market liberalization, and urbanization have created new opportunities for countries to trade agricultural and food products; however, they have also created challenges and increased risks, FAO said.

    Countries with inefficient agro-industries are likely to be left behind those with modern and efficient agro-industries. While high-income countries add, on average, 180 dollars of value by processing one tonne of agricultural products, developing countries generate only 40 dollars of value per tonne, FAO added.

    Increasing the market opportunities particularly for small-scale producers in rural areas, by improving their production, processing and marketing capabilities, will be one of the main issues of the conference. Delivering better products at lower prices could be beneficial for poor consumers and could also create employment opportunities, according to FAO.

    The forum will also encourage dialogue between the private and public sector in order to foster partnerships for developing competitive agro-industries.

    Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh will officially inaugurate the forum, together with Jacques Diouf, director general of FAO, Kandeh K. Yumkella, director general of UNIDO and Lennart Bage, president of IFAD on April 9, 2008.