BRICS nations agree to set up grain trading platform

• BRICS leaders endorsed a grain trading platform and new farmer-focused initiatives in the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration.

• BRICS countries are key players in world food production and, as such, have a critical role in enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability, and ensuring global food security and nutrition.

• The leaders emphasizes the importance of ensuring food security and nutrition and mitigating the impacts of acute food price volatility, as well as abrupt supply crises, including fertilizers shortage. 

Key initiatives:

i) BRICS Grain Exchange: The leaders acknowledged the importance of continued elaboration of the initiative to establish a grain trading platform within BRICS — the BRICS Grain Exchange. They welcomed further discussions on the modalities of its functioning and its subsequent development, and expanding into other agricultural products and commodities. 

ii) BRICS AGRIN: Establishment of a collaborative, non-binding, and farmer-centric BRICS AGRIN (Agro-Inputs, Genetic Resources, and Information Network), drawing upon relevant national, regional, and international practices. The platform aims to strengthen cooperation among member countries in agricultural inputs, seeds and genetic resources. The network would facilitate information exchange, technical cooperation, capacity building and partnerships so that superior varieties, genetic resources and best practices available in different countries could be shared more effectively. 

iii) Global Forum on Farmers’ Rights in Seed Systems: It is aimed to address shared challenges, promote effective policies, and encourage the documentation and exchange of traditional knowledge related to agriculture and seed systems. The forum will work towards ensuring the conservation and continued availability of traditional seeds, recognising their importance in the context of climate change and food security, and safeguarding farmers' traditional knowledge.

iv) BRICS Network of Centres: The network would serve as a platform for joint research, knowledge sharing and capacity building in natural, organic and regenerative agriculture, enabling member countries to learn from each other's best practices and promote climate-resilient and sustainable farming systems. The Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research, Modipuram, would play a key role as India's Centre of Excellence under the network and contribute to collaborative research, knowledge sharing and training.

v) BRICS Network on Digital Agriculture: The network would strengthen cooperation in artificial intelligence, geospatial technologies, digital public infrastructure and data-driven agricultural solutions. The initiative would act as a bridge between emerging technologies and agricultural innovation, ensuring that technological advancements directly benefit farmers. The network will be coordinated by IIT Delhi, while all member countries will contribute by sharing innovations, experiences and policy initiatives to ensure collective progress in digital agriculture.