Indore

Representatives from BRICS nations gathered in Indore on Tuesday for the start of a five-day conference aimed at strengthening cooperation in agriculture, with food security, climate-resilient farming and farmer welfare emerging as key themes of discussion.

Senior officials from member countries participated in the opening session of the meeting, which is being held under India's chairmanship of the BRICS grouping.

According to officials from the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the deliberations are centred on shared challenges confronting the agricultural sector, including the effects of climate change, the need for sustainable farming practices and improving access to financial resources for farmers.

Ajit Kumar Sahu, Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) in the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, said the member nations are exploring ways to deepen collaboration and develop collective solutions to issues affecting their agricultural economies.

He noted that BRICS countries account for nearly half of the global population, making food and nutritional security a matter of common concern for all members.

Emphasising the importance of the sector, Sahu said agricultural growth remains essential to ensuring both food availability and nutritional well-being for billions of people across these nations.

The discussions are also examining ways to facilitate the exchange of agricultural technologies and expand trade among BRICS countries, he added.

Sahu informed that the Agriculture Working Group has already conducted around eight meetings across four sessions in virtual formats, while the fifth session currently underway in Indore marks the first in-person interaction under this phase of engagement.

The Agriculture Working Group meetings will continue until June 11, bringing together officials from all participating countries to deliberate on policy priorities and future cooperation mechanisms.

The programme will culminate with a meeting of agriculture ministers from BRICS member states and partner countries on June 12 and 13.

Earlier in the day, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Secretary Atish Chandra inaugurated the proceedings and welcomed delegates attending the conference.

Officials said the agenda for the five-day event includes a wide range of topics such as food and nutrition security, farmer welfare, climate-smart agriculture, international agricultural trade facilitation, resilient supply chains, digital agriculture, research and innovation, knowledge-sharing initiatives, as well as the growing role of artificial intelligence and robotics in the farming sector.

BRICS currently comprises 11 emerging economies — Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.

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At the conclusion of the ministerial meeting, participating nations are expected to adopt a joint declaration reflecting consensus on key areas of agricultural cooperation and future action plans.