Mutual cooperation among BRIC countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China – would play a vital role in handling the global issue of food security, Agricultural Minister Sharad Pawar said in a statement issued from Moscow on Thursday. Mr. Pawar is in Moscow to attend the BRIC Agriculture Minister’s inaugural meeting.
In the address he said, “We must strive to work out common approaches and strategies on pressing global issues such as food security, impact of climate change on agriculture, energy security, pandemics and other related subjects.”
Mr. Pawar said that the four countries are richly endowed both collectively and individually in natural resources and in other aspects of food production and hence, in a position to increase their food production to meet the growing global food demand.
“Brazil and Russia have abundant supplies of raw materials and energy resources. China and India are key players in manufacturing and services and are large consuming markets. Given the complementarities of our economies, there is a tremendous potential to enhance trade among our countries,” he said.
Mr. Pawar said that Indian agriculture gained its present position through green revolution in food grains, white revolution in milk, a vast network of agricultural research institutions and revitalized extension system aided by information and communication technologies. India helped its farmers with easy loans through rural banks and cooperatives and a public procurement and distribution system – the largest in the world.
The agricultural ministers of the four BRIC countries signed a joint declaration to deal with global food security. They agreed to provide food to vulnerable sections of population and work together in eliminating the effect of climate change in agriculture. They also agreed to set up an expert group to oversee the group’s initiative.
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