Context:
Social, economic, and political empowerment of small and marginal farmers especially women as central to global agricultural strategies.
Key Highlights:
- BRICS Land Restoration Partnership Launched:
- Aimed at tackling land degradation, desertification, and loss of soil fertility across member nations.
- Joint Declaration:
- BRICS countries collectively committed to making the global agri-food system fair, inclusive, innovative, and sustainable.
- India’s Standpoint:
- Emphasized the need to strengthen the role of 510 million smallholder farmers, who are vital to global food systems yet highly vulnerable to climate change, price volatility, and resource scarcity.
What is Sustainable Agriculture?
Sustainable agriculture includes eco-friendly and resource-efficient farming practices that:
- Meet current food needs without compromising future generations
- Preserve water, soil health, and biodiversity
- Minimize dependence on synthetic chemicals and promote climate resilience
Why India Needs Sustainable Agriculture
- Rainfall Dependency:
- ~60% of India’s cultivable land depends on monsoon rains
- Price Volatility:
- Farmers often sell produce at lower prices due to lack of storage and market linkage
- Post-Harvest Losses & Low Mechanization:
- Limited infrastructure and value addition opportunities reduce profitability
- Limited Access to Finance:
- Smallholders struggle to access credit, insurance, and other financial tools
Key Government Initiatives for Sustainable Farming
- Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs):
- Aggregating produce, improving market access, and facilitating technology adoption
- Warehouse Receipt Financing:
- Enables farmers to store crops and sell later at better prices
- National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA):
- Promotes water-use efficiency, soil health, and climate-smart farming
- NICRA (National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture):
- Focuses on climate-resilient technology, research, and capacity building
- Promotion of Bio-Fertilizers:
- Reducing chemical use and enhancing soil microbial life
What is BRICS?
- Members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa
- Origin: Coined by economist Jim O’Neill in 2001 as a term for major emerging economies
- Formal Summits: Held annually since 2009
- New Members (2023–24): Argentina, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE
The 15th BRICS Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting marks a crucial global step toward transforming food systems into being farmer-centric, resilient, and environmentally sound.
India reaffirmed its vision of agriculture-led inclusive growth, with smallholder empowerment and sustainability at the core of future policymaking.
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