Agriculture & BRICS: Building Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation & Sustainability

Dr. Parveen Kumar*

    Representing 49.5% of world’s population, 40% of global GDP and 26% of global trade, the 18th BRICS summit concluded yesterday at New Delhi. BRICS a group of major emerging economies and developing countries who come together to consult and cooperate on global and regional issues. The group also seeks a greater voice in global decision making and cooperate on development, finance, security and other shared concerns. India for the fourth time as president of the group successfully hosted the emerging economies and concluded the summit with New Delhi BRICS 2026 Declaration. The three day gala event from Sep. 11-13 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi focused on the theme ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’. India earlier held the chair of BRIC in 2012, 2016 and 2021. The three major areas of cooperation include Political and Security through comprehensive dialogue on global governance, peace and security; Economy and Finance by cooperation on trade, investment, development finance and reform of global financial institutions and third is Cultural and People to Peoples exchanges.

    BRIC now BRICS started as an economic concept coined by economist Jim O’ Neill from Goldman Sachs in 2001 to describe the fast-growing economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China In 2001 the term BRIC was created. In 2026 Foreign ministers from Brazil, Russia, India, and China met in New York to start formal diplomatic cooperation. The first official BRIC summit took place in Yekaterinburg, Russia in 2009. BRIC became BRICS when South Africa joined the group in 2010-11. In 2014 members created the New Development Bank to fund infrastructure projects in developing nations. In 2024 Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia joined as full members and in 2025 Indonesia joined as a full member alongside new partner countries. The 10 partner countries include Belarus, Cuba, Malaysia, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Uganda and Vietnam. The partner countries take part in selected BRICS meetings and activities and partner status does not confer them full membership. The summit concludd with the Delhi Declarataion a joint declaration by the member countries to work together on major issues confronting the humanity today. The Declaration called for Global Governance Reform by a structural update of the United Nations Security Council. It demands that multilateral institutions should become more transparent, representative, and responsive to the Global South. The member counties also agreed to expand the use of local currencies for trade settlements. They also advanced work on cross-border payment systems and resilient supply chains for critical minerals. The bloc also supports safe, secure, and inclusive AI systems. Leaders emphasized sharing digital public infrastructure to help developing economies grow. The declaration also stressed resolving international disputes peacefully through diplomacy and dialogue. Leaders urged restraint in regional conflicts and called for protecting commercial shipping routes. Member nations strongly condemned recent terrorist attacks. They pledged to stop terrorist groups from using foreign territories as safe havens.

    The New Delhi Declaration also agreed to promote and strengthen agriculture among member countries through a host of new initiatives focused on welfare of farm and farming community. Among the various initiatives is the BRICS AGRIN which calls for establishment the Agro-Inputs, Genetic Resources, and Information Network. AGRIN will be a collaborative, non-binding, and farmer-centric digital platform for sharing agricultural data and resources. The next highlight of the declaration is BRICS Grain Exchange. This platform will back continuous work on a dedicated grain trading and digital marketplace platform to stabilize price volatility, which may later expand to other commodities. Russia is keen to see the BRICS Grain Exchange starts on a pilot basis this year and full-fledged operation in 2027. A Global Forum on Farmers’ Rights will also be established. This new forum in seed systems is to promote traditional knowledge exchange, address shared challenges, and formulate effective policies. BRICS countries also agreed to establish   Centres of Excellence and Digital Networks. These networks will be on Agro-ecology and Regenerative Agriculture, alongside a Digital Network covering fisheries, aquaculture, and agro-forestry. BRICS also reaffirmed its dedication to advancing open, fair, and development-oriented agricultural trade negotiations within the World Trade Organization framework. It will also address challenges faced by smallholders and family farmers.  Degradation of natural resources, desertification, Droughts, Floods due to extremities of weather have emerged as the major challenges affecting food as well as nutritional security of millions. The New Delhi Declaration has taken care of this by giving its commitment to integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, river systems water resources forests peat lands, mangroves and deserts to support comprehensive ecosystem restoration from ongoing threats of desertification drought degradation sand and dust storms and fires. Despite food security, India still faces the challenges in oil production. The BRICS member countries also declared their continued efforts to promote sustainability inclusivity and equitable market access the global sustainable vegetable oil sector. This will ensure that countries who are deficit in oil production do not suffer from price inflation. Forests are also an important part of our ecosystem. The declaration considering the vital ecological economic and climate benefits of global forests as well as their role in supporting indigenous livelihoods reaffirm the expanded collaboration through landscape restoration, wildfire preparedness and creation of a Mangrove alliance. The renewed focus on cooperation in global trade particularly in the present era when a tariff war is going on and Indian products are being subjected to indiscriminate taxation will definitely help reach Indian goods across the globe ultimately benefitting our farmers. Similarly considering the importance of ensuring food security nutrition and mitigating the impacts of acute food price volatility, as well as abrupt supply crises, including fertilizers shortage the establishment of a grain trading platform within BRICS (the BRICS Grain Exchange) will also help the agriculture communities as well as the sector itself.

    BRICS also reaffirm its commitment to working tirelessly for the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development (SDGs) and its far-reaching and people-centred Goals and targets in a balanced and integrated manner, in line with national policies and regulations. BRICS also recognized that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. BRICS countries are key players in world food production and as such have an indispensible role in enhancing agricultural productivity and ensuring food and nutritional security through various policies, programmes and coordinated and collaborative efforts. Let us hope that the BRICS 2026 New Delhi Declaration benefit the humanity all across the globe.  

    *The author writes on agriculture and social issues; can be reached at pkumar6674@gmail.com