The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today said the need of the hour is to use science, innovation and entrepreneurship to give a boost to growth and employment in rural economies.

Inaugurating the golden jubilee celebrations of Afro-Asian Rural Development organisation in New Delhi, Dr. Singh said India will provide more than 500 new scholarships over the next few years especially in agricultural sciences.

The Prime Minister said India has a vision for a partnership with Africa to deal with issues like clean drinking water, quality education and affordable health care.

The Prime Minister said India has earmarked about 100 million US dollar for establishing various institutions including the India Africa Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development, soil water and tissue testing laboratories.

Dr. Singh said India has also approved lines of credit worth nearly one billion US dollar for projects in rural Africa in the sugar sector, for rural power transmission and purchase of agricultural machinery.

The Prime Minister said the Afro-Asian Rural Development organisation has the potential of playing a vital role in the collective battle against hunger, disease and despair that afflict large segments of population.