Madhya pradesh: India Friday called for collaboration on food security as the South Asian nation hosted a two-day BRICS Agriculture Ministers' meeting in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

According to Anadolu Agency, India's Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shivraj Singh emphasized the importance of the conference as a platform for addressing challenges faced by small and marginal farmers globally. These challenges include climate change, pressure on natural resources, rising input costs, and uncertainties in the agricultural market.

Shivraj Singh urged BRICS nations to collaborate on empowering small farmers, ensuring food security, and promoting sustainable agricultural development worldwide. He highlighted that collective efforts by BRICS countries could redefine global agriculture and contribute to a more secure, sustainable, and inclusive agricultural future.

The meeting also focused on the bloc's broader objectives, such as creating alternative financial mechanisms, reducing dependency on the dollar, and increasing Global South representation in international institutions. These efforts aim to challenge Western-led governance structures.

India's chairmanship of BRICS in 2026 will be guided by the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.' The BRICS countries together represent over 40% of the global population and over 32% of the global GDP.