BRICS adopts Indore Declaration: Check Four Priorities and Four Institutional Initiatives

Under India's Chairship, the 16th BRICS Agriculture Ministers' Meeting, held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, on 12 to 13 June 2026 concluded with the unanimous adoption of the Indore Declaration along with four major priorities and four institutional initiatives. Nearly 100 delegates participated in the meetings, including 60 foreign representatives from BRICS member and partner countries. The delegates also participated in a tree plantation drive, including the creation of a 'BRICS Vatika'.

The declaration aims at strengthening food security, farmer welfare, climate-resilient agriculture, agricultural trade and digital agriculture. Addressing the media, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Chouhan said the declaration keeps farmers at the centre of policymaking, with a particular focus on small and marginal farmers, women, and youth. Chouhan noted that BRICS countries represent nearly half of the world's population, possessing around 42 per cent of global agricultural land and contributing 42 per cent of global foodgrain production.

BRICS Indore Declaration: What are the four priorities?

The four priority areas under the BRICS Indore Declaration are the following:

(i) Food security and nutrition

(ii) Promotion of agricultural trade and cooperation among BRICS nations

(iii) Regenerative and climate-resilient sustainable farming

(iv) Innovation, technology and partnerships in food systems

What are the four institutional Initiatives under the BRICS Indore Declaration?

The four institutional initiatives proposed are:

(i) BRICS Network of Centres of Excellence on Agro-Ecology and Regenerative Agriculture

This will serve as a platform for promoting climate-resilient and sustainable farming pactices though joint research, capacity building and knowledge exchange.

The ICAR-Indian Insitutue of Farming Systems Research, Modipuram, would serve as India's Centre of Excellence on Natural Farming.

(ii) BRICS Network on Digital Agriculture

This network would aid in strengthning cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), geospatial technologies, digital public infrastructure and data-driven agricultural solutions.

This initiative would be cooridinated by IIT Delhi. All BRICS member countries would also contribute by sharing experiences, innovations, and policy initiatives.

(iii) Global Forum on Farmers' Rights in Seed Systems

This forum aims at protecting farmers' rights related to seeds, preserving traditional knowledge systems, and conserving indigenous seed diversity.

This forum will work at safeguarding farmers' traditional knowledge and ensure the conservation and continued availability of traditional seeds. 

The forum would be initiatlly coordinated by the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority (PPV&FRA), New Delhi.

(iv) BRICS AgriN - Agro Input, Genetic Resources and Information Network Framework

This framework will aid in information sharing, capacity building, technical cooperation, and partnerships among member nations so superior varieties, genetic resources and best practices available in different countries could be shared more effectively.