New Delhi, Feb 20 (IANS) India’s Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, held a discussion with Carlos Favaro, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil, and Luiz Paulo Teixeira Ferreira, Minister of Agrarian Development and Family Agriculture of Brazil, at the Krishi Bhawan here on Friday, on the status of the ongoing cooperation between the two countries and also outlined the future areas of collaboration.

Minister Chouhan noted the deep-rooted and friendly ties between India and Brazil, anchored in shared democratic values and strengthened through regular high-level engagements, including the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Brazil during the BRICS summit held in 2025.

He also appreciated Brazil’s participation in the India AI Impact Summit, describing it as a step forward in deepening technological collaboration between the two countries.

Ferreira highlighted the importance of bilateral cooperation in the agriculture and allied sector and underscored that there are lots of areas, where mutual cooperation will be beneficial, and these can be taken up for more detailed discussions ahead.

Favaro appreciated India’s innovations in the bio-inputs and highlighted that this area holds special importance for further cooperation and collaboration.

Both countries discussed ongoing areas of cooperation and explored the potential areas of new partnership and agreed to deepen cooperation in agriculture and allied sectors.

Minister Chouhan also extended an invitation to his Brazilian counterparts to participate in the forthcoming BRICS Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting.

In addition to the Agriculture Ministers, the Brazil delegation included Wilson Gambogi Pingeiro Taques, Chief of Cabinet; Roberto Carlos Papa, Agricultural Attache with Embassy of Brazil; Luiz Renato de Alcantara Rua, MAPA (Secretariat of Commerce and International Relations) Secretary; Mauricio Polidoro, International Advisor.

India’s team at the talks included Mangi Lal Jat, Department Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) Secretary; Dinesh Bhatia, Ambassador of India to Brazil; and senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.

–IANS

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