**Executive Summary:**
This document summarizes India's contributions to agricultural research and technology collaboration within the BRICS framework, details a Brazil-India collaboration to increase soybean production, and outlines the government's roadmap for increasing agricultural exports and improving processing infrastructure through global partnerships. Key initiatives include the BRICS Agricultural Research Platform (BRICSARP) and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with EMBRAPA, Brazil, signed in July 2025. The document also highlights strategies for addressing supply chain challenges and promoting product diversification.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
**BRICS Agricultural Collaboration:**
* India actively contributes to agricultural research and cooperation within BRICS.
* Focus areas include climate-resilient agriculture, crop diversification, soil health management, and precision farming.
* The BRICS Agricultural Research Platform (BRICSARP), launched in 2021, facilitates research capacity pooling and scientific expertise exchange.
**Soybean Production Program:**
* A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) in July 2025.
* The MoU includes cooperation in developing climate-resilient soybean crops.
**Agricultural Export and Infrastructure Improvement:**
* The Agriculture Export Policy addresses supply chain challenges, promotes product diversification, and improves logistics and storage infrastructure.
* Diplomatic missions facilitate agri-export promotion through buyer-seller meets and trade dialogues.
* Commodity Boards are involved in overseas promotional efforts.
* Support is extended for aligning with international sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards.
* The ePhyto certification system streamlines the exchange of SPS certificates.
* Measures support value addition and branding, including sea protocols, improved packaging and traceability, and promotion of certification systems like GAP.
* Participation in global trade events is used to explore export promotion avenues.
* World Food India is positioned to facilitate investor engagement and enhance international exposure.
* Bilateral engagements through Joint Working Groups (JWGs) collaborate in food processing technology, cold chain solutions, and food park development.
* Schemes such as the Agro-Processing Cluster Scheme and Integrated Cold Chain Scheme encourage investment and improve competitiveness.
**Impact Analysis:**
**Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Associated Research Institutions (ICAR):**
* **Impact:** Responsible for implementing and coordinating agricultural research and cooperation initiatives within the BRICS framework. Also responsible for the execution of the MoU with EMBRAPA and the development and implementation of agricultural export policies.
* **Action Required:** Continue to share innovations and best practices. Facilitate joint projects, pilot initiatives, and training programs through BRICSARP. Implement strategies outlined in the Agriculture Export Policy.
**Indian Farmers:**
* **Impact:** Benefit from improved agricultural practices, increased soybean production (through Brazil-India collaboration), and enhanced market access for their products.
* **Action Required:** Adopt best practices shared through BRICS and other initiatives. Participate in training and capacity-building programs.
**Agricultural Exporters and Trade Bodies:**
* **Impact:** Benefit from streamlined export processes, improved access to international markets, and support for value addition and branding.
* **Action Required:** Align with international SPS standards and technical regulations. Participate in buyer-seller meets and trade dialogues. Utilize the ePhyto certification system.
**Food Processing Enterprises:**
* **Impact:** Opportunities for investment, enhanced international exposure, and improved competitiveness through infrastructure schemes and technology collaboration.
* **Action Required:** Engage with investor platforms such as World Food India. Modernize food processing and preservation capacities through available schemes.
**Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA):**
* **Impact:** Collaboration with ICAR on developing climate-resilient soybean crops, potentially leading to advancements in agricultural technology.
* **Action Required:** Fulfill the obligations outlined in the MoU with ICAR, including cooperation on soybean research.
Key Entities Referenced
BRICS: An intergovernmental organization comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, focused on economic cooperation and development.
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: The Indian government ministry responsible for agricultural research, education, and development.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): An autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India.
BRICS Agricultural Research Platform (BRICSARP): A virtual network of research institutions across BRICS countries that supports joint projects, pilot initiatives, and training programs in agriculture.
Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), Brazil: A research corporation in Brazil that signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ICAR to cooperate on developing climate resilient yielding crops of Soyabean.
Agriculture Export Policy: A policy outlining strategies for addressing supply chain challenges, promoting product diversification, and improving logistics and storage infrastructure for agricultural exports from India.
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP): Certification systems that are being promoted to support value addition and branding in agricultural exports.
World Food India: A platform positioned as an opportunity to facilitate investor engagement and enhance international exposure for Indian food processing enterprises.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 271
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 22ND JULY, 2025
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY COLLABORATION WITHIN BRICS
FRAMEWORK
271. SHRI GODAM NAGESH:
SHRI SHANKAR LALWANI:
DR. RAJESH MISHRA:
SHRI MANOJ TIWARI:
SHRI BALABHADRA MAJHI:
SHRI RAJKUMAR CHAHAR:
SHRI PRAVEEN PATEL:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण मं(cid:361)ी
be pleased to state:
(a) the manner/extent to which India is contributing to agricultural research and technology
collaboration within the BRICS framework;
(b) whether there are any specific programmes aimed at increasing Soyabean production
through Brazil-India collaboration;
(c) if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the details of Government’s roadmap for increasing agricultural exports and improving
processing infrastructure through global ties/partnership?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण रा(cid:475) मं(cid:361)ी (SHRI RAM NATH THAKUR)
(a): The Government of India (GoI) has actively contributed to agricultural research and
cooperation within the BRICS framework through a multifaceted approach aimed at enhancing
food security, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and facilitating knowledge exchange
amongst the member countries.
India, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and associated research
institutions such as the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), is at the forefront in
sharing innovations and best practices in areas including climate-resilient agriculture, crop
diversification, soil health management, and precision farming.
Under the aegis of the BRICS Agricultural Research Platform (BRICS-ARP) launched during
India’s BRICS Presidency in 2021, the GoI has facilitated the pooling of research capacities
and the exchange of scientific expertise. This platform serves as a virtual network of research
institutions across BRICS countries, supporting joint projects, pilot initiatives, and training
programmes.(b) & (c): ICAR has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), Brazil, in July 2025, which
includes the areas of cooperation on developing the climate resilient yielding crops of
Soyabean.
(d): The Government of India has undertaken various initiatives aimed at promoting
agricultural exports and strengthening processing infrastructure, with a view to leveraging
global partnerships and expanding international market opportunities. The Agriculture Export
Policy outlines broad strategies for addressing supply chain challenges, promoting product
diversification, and improving logistics and storage infrastructure, including cold chains, to
reduce post-harvest losses.
India’s diplomatic missions have been engaged in facilitating agri-export promotion through
buyer-seller meets and trade dialogues. Commodity Boards like the Coffee Board and Tea
Board are also involved in overseas promotional efforts for key export commodities, in
coordination with exporters and trade bodies.
Support has also been extended towards enabling exporters to align with international
sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards and technical regulations. Measures such as the
adoption of the e-Phyto certification system have been used to streamline the exchange of SPS
certificates and improve transparency and efficiency in compliance.
To support value addition and branding in exports, certain measures have been undertaken,
including: Development of sea protocols for perishable produce, Improvements in packaging
and traceability, promotion of certification systems such as Good Agricultural Practices (GAP),
Assistance in obtaining international quality and safety certifications, Training and capacity
building at the farmer and exporter levels.
India has also participated in global trade events like BIOFACH, Gulfood, AAHAR, Organic
and Natural Products Expo, and Indus Food to explore export promotion avenues and
showcase Indian agri-products to a wider global audience.
Platforms such as World Food India have been positioned as opportunities to facilitate
investor engagement and enhance international exposure for Indian food processing
enterprises.
Additionally, bilateral engagements, including through Joint Working Groups (JWGs) with
select partner countries, aimed to collaborate in areas such as food processing technology,
cold chain solutions, automation, food park development, and institutional partnerships.
On the infrastructure front, schemes such as the Agro-Processing Cluster Scheme,
Integrated Cold Chain Scheme, and other initiatives for the creation or modernization of food
processing and preservation capacities have been introduced to encourage investment and
improve the competitiveness of Indian agricultural products in the global market.
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