At the 15th meeting of BRICS Agriculture Ministers, India sent a clear and powerful message to the world: agriculture must be inclusive, equitable, and sustainable — and small and marginal farmers must be placed at the heart of global agricultural policy. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, representing India at the forum, not only reaffirmed India’s commitment to its farmers but also laid out a robust blueprint for sustainable agriculture that balances food security, climate action, and rural empowerment.
In a world plagued by climate volatility, inflationary shocks, and mounting food insecurity, it is easy to overlook the plight of the smallholder farmer. What stands out in India’s approach is its blend of tradition with technology. Initiatives like AgriStack, Climate-Resilient Villages, and the Drone Didi and Lakhpati Didi programs show how digital tools can drive transparency, service delivery, and female empowerment in agriculture. Equally important is India’s emphasis on cluster-based farming, cooperative models, and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), which foster collective bargaining power and improved market access for small farmers.
The launch of the BRICS Land Restoration Partnership marks a new chapter in global agri-diplomacy. India’s support for this initiative, combined with its own flagship programs like NMSA and NICRA, underlines a growing convergence of ecological stewardship and food policy. By focusing on restoring soil fertility and fighting desertification, BRICS nations are finally acknowledging that sustainable agriculture begins with healthy land and empowered communities. The Joint Declaration issued by BRICS reflects a broader, more humane vision of food systems — one that includes digital certification, fair trade, gender equity, and financial inclusion. But declarations must not remain on paper. The true test lies in coordinated action, funding for smallholder innovations, and a genuine shift away from extractive agri-models that have widened global inequalities.
India’s invitation to BRICS nations to participate in World Food India 2025 is more than symbolic — it is a call to innovate, collaborate, and build bridges between nations and farmers. As India roots its global vision in its ancient ethos of Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah — may all be happy, may all be healthy — it reminds the world that sustainability must be seeded in equity, and progress must be harvested with compassion.
India has shown the way. Now, the world must walk with its farmers.