Tatiana Bokova, Intern of the Russian National Committee on BRICS Research – special for InfoBRICS
In recent years, the BRICS countries have been exploring long-term and sustainable mechanisms for cooperation in the agricultural sector. The issues of food security, poverty reduction and agricultural production, and technological innovation are on the agenda of the BRICS leaders. BRICS agricultural cooperation has contributed particularly to global food security and provided an impetus for economic recovery in the post-pandemic era. According to statistics, in 2021, total agricultural trade between the BRICS countries and other countries reached $588.3 billion. It is worth noting that compared to 2010, the volume of trade in agricultural products has increased by 128%.
Currently, member countries are deepening food and trade cooperation with emerging and developed nations, striving to remove trade barriers, and creating new and innovative mechanisms and tools for cooperation in agriculture. Moreover, the BRICS continues to strengthen environmental and ecological protection, monitor food quality and safety, and conduct joint training programs to modernize agriculture and rural areas in China, Brazil, Russia, South Africa and India.
The association are deepening cooperation in the agricultural sector through various mechanisms and instruments within the organization. For example, countries have announced the creation of a BRICS forum on agricultural and rural development.
Delving a little deeper into history, in September 2017, the Xiamen International Conference Center hosted the ninth meeting of BRICS leaders, where the “Xiamen BRICS Leaders Declaration” was adopted. Among them was the final document “BRICS Action Plan on Agricultural Cooperation (2017-2020),” which pushed the participating countries to unite in this area.
Already in 2021, the ministerial meeting adopted the next BRICS Agricultural Cooperation Action Plan 2021-2024, which intends to speed up agricultural development to improve food security and nutrition, strengthen BRICS food supply capacity, and share information and best practices in agriculture through the BRICS Agricultural Research Platform. Moreover, the document focuses on improving farmers’ welfare, preserving agro-biodiversity, and promoting digital agricultural solutions among the population of the organization’s members.
Another mechanism for cooperation is the BRICS Agricultural Research Platform, which was introduced at the ministerial meeting also in 2021. This platform is designed to develop agriculture and solve the problems of famine, poverty and inequality through agricultural cooperation among the BRICS nations. In addition, the five states have strengthened joint training programs for the modernization of agriculture and rural areas in different countries. For example, China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2021 trained 295 agricultural technicians and managers for South Africa in areas such as rice planting, production and application of agricultural machinery, plant protection, use of renewable energy and others.
We can see that the strength of the BRICS countries also lives in agricultural research. Russia, Brazil, China, India and South Africa have strong research systems focused on many of the problems facing developing countries, such as sustainable nutrition for a growing population. In this scenario, advanced research, biotechnology, agroecology, and climate-optimized agriculture that adapt to the uncertain changes faced by farmers become prioritized.
The BRICS members are rich in natural resources such as climate, environment, soil, and occupy half of the world’s cultivated area and about 40% of the world’s cereal production area. Consequently, the participating countries have a wide space for cooperation in agricultural trade.
Individual states such as the People’s Republic of China have made significant efforts to promote agriculture and rural development and undoubtedly play an important role in the promotion of this area within the BRICS. The Chinese government is concentrating on rural works, accelerating agricultural modernization, and proposing to focus on food security and poverty reduction.
China continues to deepen agricultural cooperation with member states. For example, since 2019, the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso has been planting corn varieties provided by Longping High-Tech Brazil, a company with Chinese investment owned by Longping Agriculture Science Co., Ltd. During this time, the planted area has increased significantly and now amounts to about 3,330 hectares. This company has built an industrial park where seeds are stored for global integration of emerging markets with a focus on the BRICS countries. To date, China has managed to provide food to more than 1.4 billion people through its own efforts, contributing to global food security.
It is worth noting that agricultural trade between Brazil and China is highly important. Brazil’s exports include soybeans, beef and chicken. At the end of 2021, Brazilian exports to China exceeded $45 billion, which has benefited Brazil’s food and agriculture industry.
The People’s Republic of China is a major producer and importer of soybeans, which contributes to the development of Russia’s soybean industry. In 2019, China and Russia signed a plan to develop cooperation on soybeans and as a result achieved deepening cooperation in the whole production chain of planting, processing, logistics, sales and research, and the first batch of Russian soybeans arrived in China with over 4,400 tons. In addition, the total agricultural trade between China and Russia reached $5.556 billion in 2021. The two sides are also making efforts to train agricultural enterprises in China and Russia, by inviting experts to hold online and offline lectures to teach, for example, effective soybean sowing methods.
“In recent years, agriculture has become a new area of growth in Russian-Chinese cooperation, and our collaboration with China is mutually beneficial,” the Russian side declared.
As for India-China cooperation in agriculture, the Freshwater Fisheries Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences has trained over 40 fisheries experts for India in various technical assistance training courses in the past few years. This campaign has effectively promoted the cooperation and development of fisheries production between China and India.
An important element in the development of agricultural production cooperation among the BRICS countries became e-commerce as part of the digital economy. Through various e-commerce platforms, people receive agricultural products from Brazil, Russia, China, India and South Africa. For example, China officially launched the “Buy in BRICS” campaign in 2021 and live streaming of represented BRICS products (wines from South Africa, coffee beans from Brazil, powdered condiments from India, and chocolate from Russia). Consequently, the combined sales of China’s main e-commerce platforms exceeded 270 million of yuan last summer, contributing to the development of the agricultural industry within the organization’s members.
Thus, the BRICS countries are important producers and consumers of agricultural products and play a significant role in the global food system. Representatives of the association highlight agricultural cooperation as one of the main areas of interaction between China, Russia, Brazil, India and South Africa.
As economic and trade exchanges between BRICS countries and other multilateral mechanisms expand, member countries may establish their own food trade mechanism. Total agricultural trade between the BRICS countries and other countries reached $588.3 billion. It means that the actions promoted by the BRICS members not only contribute to the prosperity and development of their agriculture but also provide the population with a wide range of high-quality goods.
In order to promote the rapid development of agriculture, the member countries intend to strengthen the construction of agricultural infrastructure, accelerate the process of agricultural scale management, expand agricultural cooperation with other BRICS nations through introducing various mechanisms within the association, innovative technologies and digital economy. It will certainly affect the global economy; help eliminate poverty and reduce social inequality. BRICS agricultural cooperation will continue to make an important contribution to overcoming the global food crisis in the post-pandemic era.
