Beyond agriculture, Ms Manikam has emphasised the importance of MSME collaboration between India and Africa. She has argued that Africa should be viewed not only as an export destination, but as a production and assembly base for Indian enterprises seeking to expand globally. She advocates a hybrid production model in which components can be manufactured in India and assembled in African markets, allowing companies to reduce logistics costs, improve competitiveness, and gain better access to regional markets.

This model is particularly relevant for sectors such as agri-equipment, pumps, packaging, automobile components, textiles, food processing, and mining support services, where Indian MSMEs have strong manufacturing capabilities and Africa offers growing markets and resource-linked opportunities.

Ms Manikam’s experience in Africa has also underlined the importance of working within local institutional and community frameworks. In many African countries, traditional leadership structures, community organisations, and local networks play an important role in economic activity. Enterprises that align their business models with these local systems often achieve more sustainable outcomes and stronger community acceptance.

Another dimension of her work has been the use of technology platforms to support farmers and small enterprises. Through AI-led social enterprise initiatives such as Agriwave 360, which supports large numbers of farmers, and OneAfrica, which facilitates SME collaboration, her work demonstrates how digital tools can be adapted to local conditions. She has observed that technology adoption in rural areas can be high when solutions are designed to address specific local needs and when training is delivered at the point of use.