India Calls for Global Support for Small Farmers at BRICS Meeting

India Calls for Global Support for Small Farmers at BRICS Meeting

India has urged the world to focus more on helping small and marginal farmers, saying they cannot tackle big challenges like climate change, unstable prices, and limited resources on their own.

At the 15th BRICS Agriculture Ministers’ meeting held in Brazil, India’s Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that without protecting and supporting small farmers, the world’s food security goals cannot be achieved.

“We can’t expect small farmers to deal with these problems by themselves. They need strong support from our policies,” Chouhan said. He also highlighted that farming is more than just a job — it’s a way of life, a source of food, and a matter of dignity for millions.

Chouhan shared some of India’s successful strategies to help small farmers, including:

• Cluster-based farming

• Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)

• Cooperative models

• Natural farming methods

These approaches have helped farmers gain better access to markets and improve their incomes, according to the Agriculture Ministry.

The BRICS meeting also focused on the need for fair trade in agriculture, better control of global food price swings, and ensuring that farmers earn a fair price for their produce.

India showcased its use of technology in farming, such as:

• The Digital Agriculture Mission

• AgriStack (a digital platform for agriculture data)

• Drones for farming

• Climate-Resilient Villages

These tech-driven efforts have helped deliver services more efficiently and raise farmer incomes. Also Read | Govt is far from doubling farmers’ incomes, it is actually fallen in few states: Panel

A key highlight of the meeting was the launch of the BRICS Land Restoration Partnership, aimed at tackling land degradation, desertification, and soil fertility loss.

In a joint declaration, BRICS countries agreed to work towards a global food system that is fair, inclusive, innovative, and sustainable. They emphasized the need for food security, adapting to climate change, and empowering women and youth in agriculture.

Minister Chouhan also invited BRICS countries to take part in World Food India 2025 and the World Audio-Visual Entertainment Summit 2025, offering them a chance to collaborate and innovate together.