The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed among India and various BRICs countries for establishment of the BRICS Agriculture Research Platform (BRICS-ARP).
The Centre is envisaged as a virtual facility to promote food security, sustainable agri-development and poverty alleviation through strategic cooperation in agriculture within the BRICS countries.
It aims to work on agriculture science, policy research and development extension, technology transfer, training and capacity building and scientific information sharing.
It will also act as a forum for academicians, scholars, researchers and students for agricultural advancement, in the BRICS, viewed as the five major emerging economies of the world. BRICS countries account for 45 percent of the global agricultural output.
The Coordinating Centre of the BRICS Agricultural Research Platform was inaugurated by Dr. T. Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) & Director General, ICAR, at NASC Complex, New Delhi as a follow up of the Memorandum of Understanding signed during the 8th BRICS Summit -2016 in India, by the Ministries of Agriculture of Brazil, Russian Federation, Republic of India, Peoples Republic of China and Republic of South Africa. This is the first such multi-disciplinary and multi-lateral Platform established in Indian agriculture which has five big countries participating through virtual network for agricultural development and growth.
Under the current action plan, sources said, in addition to India working on setting up a virtual research platform, Russia is preparing a document on international trade and investment. China has been working on establishing an agri-database of BRICS countries, Brazil on food security to most vulnerable people and South Africa on developing a strategy on climate change.
During the 7th BRICS Summit held on 9thJuly 2015 at Ufa in Russia, Prime Minister Modi proposed to establish BRICS Agriculture Research Centre which will be a gift to the entire world. The Centre will promote sustainable agricultural development and poverty alleviation through strategic cooperation in agriculture to provide food security in the BRICS member countries.
In order to further intensify cooperation among BRICS countries in agricultural research policy, science and technology, innovation and capacity building, including technologies for small¬holder farming in the BRICS countries, an MoU on establishment of the Agricultural Research Platform was signed by the foreign Ministers of BRICS countries in the 8th BRICS Summit held on 16th October, 2016 at Goa.
BRICS-ARP will be the natural global platform for science-led agriculture-based sustainable development for addressing the issues of world hunger, under-nutrition, poverty and inequality, particularly between farmers’ and non-farmers’ income, and enhancing agricultural trade, bio-security and climate resilient agriculture.