Agro-industrial parks can serve as key accelerators for food value chain development by applying sustainable industrial production practices.

 

The development of agro-industry is essential for producing more, better and safer food, while ensuring it is distributed at affordable prices to all. Agro-industry can significantly contribute toachieving the SDG 2 target of doubling agriculturalproductivity by sourcing primary and semi-processed foods from a diverse range of suppliers, including smallholder farmers, helping them improve the quality of their products, adopt more efficient and sustainable production practices and add more value to their production practices. To address environmental concerns, agro-industry can be strategically organized in industrial parks and special economic zones designed to minimize resource use, pollution and waste. Agro-industry in developing countries requires support to implement advanced food processing technologies and design better food products with higher nutritional value in combination with support in developing bankable business models. The new foods produced should also incorporate new primary inputs from newly discovered plantspecies, biotechnology, and the Blue Economy Integrating these elements in new food products necessitates R&D and product development. This support should extend to the development of entire agricultural value chains that focus on adding value to local products through efficient and sustainable agro-industry at an appropriate scale, This approach should also incorporate cleaner production concepts, green energy solutions, and adhere to circular economy principles and life cycle management of Data. The Agro-industrial parks can serve as key accelerators for food value chaindevelopment by applying sustainable industrialproduction practices, which entails providing support to industrial parks planning, establishment and management. Meanwhile, agriculture and agroindustry in developing countries must explore strategies to minimize post-harvest losses by promoting the development of relevant post-harvest infrastructure and technologies, better logistics and the establishment of efficient supplier networks where agro-industry can help suppliers improve their production processes and product quality. At the global level, agro-industry should develop initiatives for more sustainable sourcing offood products from developing countries. Sustainable sourcing must adhere to the principles of decent work, cleaner and greener production, empowerment of local talent and value addition to local products