The Andhra Pradesh government has come up with a novel idea to 'export' farmers to far-off lands in search of prosperity.

The state government has signed a Letters of Intent with Kenya and Uganda to send farmers in batches to cultivate lands in the two East African nations in what is being billed as a "win-win arrangement".

"We've signed the LoI with Kenya for 50,000 acres and with the Uganda Investment Authority for 20,000 acres. Our farmers will work there as entrepreneurs and are allowed to repatriate their earnings back home," advisor to the state government on investment promotion, C C Reddy, said in Hyderabad.

As per the plan, the land will be given to farmers' cooperative society from AP on a 99-year lease to enable them to develop it using their expertise and prosper in the process.

The process of formation of farmers' cooperatives will be finalised soon and the first batch of 500 farmers will head for East Africa in the middle of next year.