Food Security, Interests of Small Farmers Among Priorities at BRICS Meet: Chouhan

• Shivraj Singh Chouhan said small farmers are at the centre of India’s BRICS discussions.

• He said food security, higher crop output and nutritious food are among the key priorities.

• The meeting will also discuss women’s role in agriculture and ways to attract youth through technology and innovation.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Thursday that food security and the interests of small farmers are among the priorities of the ongoing BRICS meeting in Indore under India's chairmanship.

Chouhan arrived in Indore for the two-day meeting of agriculture ministers from BRICS countries, starting Friday. He attended a dinner and cultural programme organised in honour of the visiting delegates.

"Small farmers are the focus of our discussion at the BRICS meeting. We will take forward the discussion on how to improve the farming of small farmers and increase their income, thereby improving their standard of living," Chouhan told reporters on the occasion.

More than 70% of the world's small farmers live in BRICS countries, he noted.

Ensuring food security by increasing crop production in BRICS countries is also among the priorities of the meeting, the Union agriculture minister said, adding that the issue of farmers' rights over seeds will also be discussed.

"Our priority is also to ensure that people get not only grains but also nutritious food," said Chouhan.

Women have significant participation in agriculture, he said, adding, "We have decided to discuss how to increase women's participation in farming and how to attract youth to agriculture through new technologies and innovations." Climate change, digital farming and increasing the use of technology in agriculture are also central to the meeting's discussions, he added.

A three-day meeting of officials under the BRICS Agriculture Working Group concluded in Indore on Thursday.

"I am happy to inform that the discussions so far at the BRICS meeting have been very fruitful," Chouhan said, adding that based on the consensus reached at the meeting, the BRICS 'Indore Declaration' will be issued on June 13.

BRICS member countries include Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.