Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, has welcomed the signing of the Joint Declaration of the 13th Meeting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) Ministers of Agriculture.
The declaration lists areas of engagement, cooperation, and agreement on several agricultural interventions among BRICS member nations.
These include minimizing the effects of climate change on agriculture and food production, ensuring that the most vulnerable populations have access to food, encouraging trade and investment in the agricultural sector, fostering collaboration and innovation in the agricultural technology sector, and improving the interchange of agricultural knowledge.
The declaration was signed last week after a four-day gathering of the BRICS Ministers of Agriculture in Mookgopong in Limpopo. Over the gathering (8-12 August), delegates from BRICS deliberated on various challenges under the theme, "Strengthening collaboration towards sustainable agricultural production and increasing productivity".
The nations will now cooperate to lessen the effects of climate change on food production, provide access to food for the poor and promote trade and investment.
Minister Didiza and her BRICS counterparts formally agreed to strengthen collaborations in sustainable agricultural production and increasing productivity. Developing countries will now receive assistance to deal with the negative impact of climate change on food security.
"On climate change, the BRICS Ministers of Agriculture called for the provision of means of implementation for developing countries to enable them to reduce the negative impacts of climate change on food security by enhancing the adaptive capacity and resilience of people, food, and agriculture production systems.
"They further resolved to advocate for joint efforts among BRICS member countries to address climate change impacts on agriculture. The Ministers also support the adoption of agricultural best practices that align with internationally agreed goals, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," said Reggie Ngcobo the Departmental spokesperson Reggie Ngcobo.
Ngcobo said the declaration also aimed at improving agricultural initiatives in rural developments by attracting public and private investments.
"This also includes ensuring access to food for the most vulnerable population and enhancing agricultural technology and innovation," said Ngcobo.
The ministers noted that the challenges to achieving food security and nutrition are multi-sectoral and multidimensional. They emphasized the need for a collaborative approach among the BRICS countries in ensuring access to food for all.
In addition, they acknowledged the significance of food and nutrition security programmes, including food safety nets to reduce hunger and malnutrition among women, youth, children, older people, and persons with disabilities.
On agriculture and rural development, the ministers committed to accelerate existing national agriculture and rural development programmes and initiatives, with a focus on revitalising rural economies, and attracting public and private investment, while fostering skills development.
"The ministers also support the reform of the global agricultural trade system through measures that support developing economies. Furthermore, the ministers encouraged policies enhancing open, free, and fair agricultural trade, and encouraged the removal of unjustified trade restrictions," said the department.
