Government approves MoU for BRICS agriculture research platform

NEW DELHI: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today gave ex-post facto approval for an MoU signed by India and other BRICS nations for setting up of an agriculture research platform.

In October last year, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for setting up agriculture research platform (ARP) was signed by foreign ministers of BRICS countries in the 8th BRICS Summit held at Goa, an official release said.

The ex-post facto approval to the same MoU was given by the CCEA in a meeting held today, the release said.

"The Centre will promote sustainable agricultural development and poverty alleviation through strategic cooperation in agriculture to provide food security in the BRICS member countries," it said.

BRICS-ARP will act as a global platform for science-led agriculture-based sustainable development for addressing the issues of world hunger, under-nutrition, poverty and inequality, particularly between farmers' and non-farmers' income, and enhancing agricultural trade, bio-security and climate resilient agriculture, the statement added.

Establishment of BRICS Agriculture Research Platform was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 7th BRICS Summit held on July 9, 2015 at Ufa in Russia.