India and Brazil launched the Maitri 2.0 program in Delhi, aiming to promote agritech innovation, startup collaboration, and sustainable agriculture. Through the partnership between ICAR and EMBRAPA, scientists, research institutions, and farmers from both countries will share new technologies, strengthening food security and the agricultural sector globally.
India-Brazil AgriTech Partnership: On Monday in New Delhi, India and Brazil commenced the Maitri 2.0 program. Organized by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), this program aims to promote innovation, startups, and sustainable agriculture in the agricultural sector. ICAR and Brazil's agricultural institution EMBRAPA will collaborate on scientific knowledge and technical cooperation. This partnership will connect farmers with new technologies, help address challenges of climate change and food security, and give a new impetus to agri-startups.
India-Brazil Friendship Reaches the Fields
During the program, Dr. Jaat stated that the relationship between India and Brazil is 77 years old, and now this friendship is reaching the fields. He informed that both countries are already working together on platforms like BRICS and G20. Recently, a significant agreement was also made between ICAR and Brazil's agricultural institution EMBRAPA. Dr. Jaat mentioned that the state of agricultural research in India is continuously strengthening. Previously, ICAR had only 74 patents, but now over 1800 patents are received every year. This directly implies that new technologies, seeds, and machinery related to agriculture are continuously being developed. He also noted that ICAR has signed over 5000 licensing agreements to ensure this research directly reaches farmers.
Brazil Appreciates India
On this occasion, Brazil's Ambassador Kenneth Nóbrega stated that Maitri 2.0 is a program that will determine the future direction for both countries. Applauding India's achievements, he said that both India and Brazil want to collaborate in agriculture, technology, and nutritional security. The Ambassador added that this program would provide an opportunity for startups and research institutions in both countries to connect. This will strengthen farmers and help find better solutions to agricultural challenges.
New Opportunities for Young Farmers
At the program, Dr. Srinivas Rao, Director of ICAR-IARI, stated that his institute has promoted over 400 agri-startups to date. These startups are working to modernize agriculture and show new paths to farmers. He emphasized that farming is no longer just a means of livelihood but must be viewed as a business. Dr. Neeru Bhushan, an ICAR official, mentioned that both India and Brazil are facing challenges such as climate change, food security, and sustainable agriculture. Solutions to these problems will only emerge through mutual cooperation.
Benefits of Research to Reach Farmers
During the program, it was also highlighted that the biggest benefit of Maitri 2.0 would be the collaboration among scientists, research centers, and startups from India and Brazil. This will facilitate the sharing of new agricultural technologies. Farmers from both countries will be able to learn from each other and undertake new experiments. Through this program, special emphasis will be placed on improving digital agriculture, sustainable farming, and post-harvest processes such as storage, packaging, and marketing.
Will Deepen Relations
At the end of the program, Dr. Viswanathan Srinivasan, an official from ICAR-IARI, thanked all the guests. He stated that Maitri 2.0 would further deepen the relations between India and Brazil, and farmers would directly benefit from it.
