The Indian delegation was led by Minister of State (MoS) Ram Nath Thakur, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW), Government of India(GoI) attended the Group of Twenty (G20) Agriculture Ministerial Meeting (AMM) held in Cuiabá, Brazil from 12-14 September 2024.
- On the sidelines of the G20 AMM, Ram Nath Thakur, held a series of bilateral meetings with the United States of America (USA), Brazil, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom (UK), Spain, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to strengthen India’s agricultural ties globally.
G20 Presidency:
i.Brazil holds the presidency of the G20, until 30th November 2024. G20 brings together the world’s largest economies – 19 countries, the African Union and the European Union.
ii.Brazil is responsible for coordinating the G20 and organizing technical meetings, ministerial conferences and the next G20 summit of heads of State which will be held in November 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Indian Delegation:
Indian Delegation also comprised Ambassador Suresh Reddy, Ambassador of India to Brazil, and Franklin L. Khobung, Joint Secretary (Natural Resources Management (NRM)) Division, Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DoA&FW), MoA&FW,
Meeting Focus Areas:
The meeting focussed on discussions on 4 key priority areas for global agriculture:
i.Sustainable agriculture and food systems in their multiple paths;
ii.Enhancing international trade for food security and nutrition;
iii.Elevating the role of family farmers, smallholders, Indigenous peoples, and local communities in sustainable, resilient, and inclusive agriculture and food systems; and
iv.Promoting the integration of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture into local and global value chains.
Highlights of India’s Bilateral Meetings:
India-Japan meeting:
i.A bilateral meeting between Ram Nath Thakur and Sakamoto Tetsushi, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Japan was held on 12th September 2024, in Brazil.
ii.Both sides discussed cooperation in technology, food processing, cold storage, agricultural sustainability, and productivity in Indian agriculture through private investment.
iii.They also addressed market access issues for Indian pomegranate and grapes in Japan, and Japanese cedar in India.
India-USA meeting:
i.A bilateral meeting between Thakur and Ms. Xochitl Torres Small, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, USA was held on 13 September 2024, in Brazil.
ii.Both sides agreed to follow up on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and MoA&FW Dialogue initiative.
iii.They discussed cooperation in climate-smart agriculture, agricultural productivity, innovation, crop risk protection, etc.
iv.They addressed market access issues for fruits and vegetables, and the USA requested to expedite market access for Alfalfa hay fodder to India.
India-Brazil Meeting:
i.A bilateral meeting between Thakur and Carlos Fávaro, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply, Brazil, was held on 13 September 2024, in Brazil.
ii.Their discussions focused on Science and Technology (S&T), ethanol production, and market access.
iii.India aims for Brazilian market access for Sorghum, Cotton, Wheat, and more, while Brazil seeks Indian market access for Citrus, etc.
India-Germany meeting:
i.A bilateral meeting between Thakur and Ms. Ophelia Nick, Parliamentary State Secretary, Germany was held on 13 September 2024, in Brazil.
ii.Both sides discussed progress on agroecology, technical exchanges, and triangular development projects.
iii.They agreed to collaborate on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in farming, support for small farmers, and organic farming.
- Germany invited India to participate in the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) 2025 in Berlin, Germany.
India-UK meeting:
i.A bilateral meeting between Thakur and Daniel Zeichner, MoS (Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs), UK was held on 13 September 2024, in Brazil.
ii.Their discussions focused on cooperation in sustainable agriculture, research, precision breeding, and gene editing.
India-Spain meeting:
i.A bilateral meeting between Thakur and Luis Planas, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Spain was held on 13 September 2024, in Brazil.
ii.They discussed resolving the sanitary and veterinary certificates for meat products and cold storage for oranges.
iii.They explored cooperation in water use efficiency and climate-resilient agriculture.
India-UAE meeting:
i.A bilateral meeting between Thakur and Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, UAE was held on 12 September 2024, in Brazil.
ii.They discussed enhancing trade in the agriculture sector and market access issues.
iii.UAE expressed interest in collaboration on vertical farming and high-yield technologies.
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About Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW):
Union Minister– Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Constituency- Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh (MP))
Ministers of State (MoS)- Ram Nath Thakur (Rajya Sabha- Bihar); Bhagirath Choudhary (Constituency- Ajmer, Rajasthan)
