Brasilia, April 20 (IANS) India’s Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, on Sunday, highlighted the need for global food security, empowerment of small farmers, and technological cooperation in advancing the partnership among BRICS countries at the conference held in Brazil.
The Union Minister also stressed on the scope for promoting production and export of soya from India.
He said that India was keen to enable its farmers to gain access to global technologies.
Leading the Indian delegation at the 15th BRICS Agriculture Ministers’ meeting, Minister Chouhan held bilateral meetings with his counterpart from Brazil to strengthen agricultural trade, technology and innovation between India and Brazil.
The Union Minister said that India is fully committed to inclusive, equitable and sustainable agriculture.
Echoing the spirit of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, he added that India always follows the message of trust and cooperation with all countries.
He called for enhanced cooperation in agricultural technology, innovation, capacity building and trade facilitation so that farmers and agricultural enterprises of various countries can benefit.
Minister Chouhan’s visit to Brazil is a concrete initiative towards technological innovation, production increase and global partnership for Indian agriculture, which can yield direct benefits to the farmers.
The 15th BRICS Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting, held in Brasilia, was attended by Agriculture Ministers and senior officials from India, host Brazil and BRICS member countries including Russia, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, The UAE, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Iran.
The main theme of the meeting was “promoting inclusive and sustainable agriculture through cooperation, innovation and equitable trade among BRICS countries”.
Minister Chouhan’s visit is expected to give a new direction to agricultural cooperation between India and Brazil, which will boost agricultural trade between the two countries.
The Union Minister expressed his desire to share knowledge with Brazil on climate-friendly soyabean varieties, mechanisation, precision farming and sustainable agricultural practices.
He also expressed his desire to learn from Brazil’s agricultural model, mechanisation, irrigation and research and implement it in Indian agriculture so that maximum benefits can be transferred to the farmers.
Cooperation in the areas of biofuel, bioenergy, supply chain integration and agricultural machinery was discussed during the meetings which would enable Indian farmers to get access to global technology.
Joint efforts of the two countries will also strengthen global food security as Brazil has achieved tremendous growth in agricultural exports in the last 50 years, an inspiration for India as well, according to an official statement issued after the meeting.
During these meetings, the issues of enhancing cooperation in the areas of agriculture, agro-technology, rural development and food security were discussed.
Minister Chouhan also visited a soyabean production plant, tomato farm and other institutes in Brazil and closely observed the latest technologies related to mechanisation, irrigation and food processing.
At present, India imports soyabean oil, but now both the countries are jointly exploring the possibilities of investing and setting up technology and plants for soyabean production and processing. This can boost soyabean production and export in India
Minister Chouhan said that there is a plan to work together with Brazil to increase soybean production and processing in India.
Besides, possibilities of cooperation between the two countries in mechanisation and seed research will also be explored, he added.
–IANS
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