The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), in collaboration with the Government of India, brought together Ministers and government officials in charge of agriculture, trade and industry, food industry leaders, agro-industry specialists and civil society representatives for the first Global Agro-Industries Forum (GAIF), in New Delhi from 8 to 11 April 2008. Around 500 senior country delegates and professionals from 111 different countries discussed the contribution of agro-industries to economic development and the challenges they are facing. The Forum also encouraged dialogue between the private and public sector in order to foster partnerships for developing competitive agro-industries.