Indore: A two-day meeting of agriculture ministers from BRICS nations began in Indore on Friday under India’s presidency, with food security, welfare of smallholder farmers and greater participation of women and youth in the sector among the key issues on the agenda.
Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan led the ministerial dialogue on the theme, ‘Smallholder Farmers, Women and Youth: Securing the Future of Food’.
The meeting in Indore, India’s cleanest city, is focusing on strengthening agricultural cooperation among BRICS member nations and addressing common challenges facing the farm sector, officials said.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the meeting, Chouhan said, “India i the mother of democracy. It is a matter of pride for us that India is chairing BRICS. I believe that when the joint declaration is issued after the conclusion of the meeting on Saturday, we will have achieved several important outcomes under India’s presidency.”
The Union minister said the role of women and youth in agriculture would be among the focus of discussions.
Women have traditionally made a significant contribution to agriculture in India and many other countries. We will deliberate on ways to enhance their participation in the sector,” he said.
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