BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa)

The BRICS represents Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa. The BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) was first conceived in 2001. Later on, after 2nd BRIC summit, South Africa was also invited to attend 3rd BRIC Summit in Sanya, China on 14th April, 2011 and the group became BRICS.

Four Summits of BRICS have been held so far; the first in Yekaterynburg, Russia on 16th June, 2009; 2nd in Brasilia on 15th April, 2010; the 3rd in Sanya, China on 14th April, 2011 and the 4th in New Delhi, India on 29th March, 2012. Further, two meetings of BRICS Agriculture Ministers have also taken place; the first in Moscow on 20th March, 2010 and the 2nd in Chengdu, China on 28th October to 1st November, 2011.

An Agricultural Ministers meeting was held in Moscow during March, 2010 (Moscow declaration) and an Agricultural Expert Working Group (AEWG) was advised to be set up in pursuance to the Moscow declaration. The primary objective of meeting of Agricultural Expert working Group is to prepare a roadmap ahead of the Ministers of Agriculture Minister and prepare the agenda for deliberation/discussion.

The first meeting of AEWG was held in Chengdu, China during 3-6th August, 2011 and a draft Action Plan for 2012-16 (Five Years) was drafted by them and submitted during Agriculture Ministers meet for its approval. The Agriculture Ministers meet approved the Action Plan 2012-16, drafted by AEWG and following areas of cooperation were identified by them to be acted upon by different BRICS countries:-

• Creation of Basic agricultural information exchange system of BRICS Countries (COORDINATED BY CHINA)
• Development of a general Strategy for ensuring access to food for the most vulnerable population (COORDINATED BY BRAZIL)
• Reduction of negative impact of climate change on food security and adaptation of agriculture to climate change (COORDINATED BY SOUTH AFRICA)
• Enhance agricultural technology cooperation and innovation (COORDINATED BY INDIA)
• Trade and investment promotion (COORDINATED BY RUSSIA)

DARE/ICAR hosted meeting of Experts on Agro Products and Food Security of BRICS on 27th August, 2012 and BRICS Agriculture Expert Working Group (AEWG) on 28th August, 2012. Minutes of the meetings were circulated to the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa) as per Annexure. During the meeting, there was suggestion for making a “Framework document for establishing BRICS Strategic Cooperation Alliance on Agricultural Science and Technology” which has been circulated to all the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa) for their comments/suggestion.