Agriculture is the foundation of India's civilization, culture, and heritage. Agriculture in India is distinct, diverse, and huge, providing a living and an income to more than half of our population. Over the previous 75 years, the country has progressed from a ship-to-mouth economy to self-sufficiency and food exportation.
Green, White, Blue, Yellow, Golden, Silver, Brown, Grey, and Rainbow revolutions, backed by science and policy, changed Indian agriculture. Since 1950, food production has expanded by 6 to 70 times while net cultivated area has increased by only 1.3 times.
The G20 Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists (MACS) is critical in supporting collaborative action to implement science-based solutions for creating sustainable, resilient, and lucrative agri-food systems. It provides an excellent forum for discussion, deliberation, and the exchange of knowledge, science, and technologies for food and nutrition security, as well as for boosting G20 collaboration.
The Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists (MACS) will focus on food and nutrition security, resilience to climate change, One Health approaches, digital agriculture, and public-private partnerships for research, education, and extension, in keeping with India's G20 Presidency theme of "One Earth, One Family, One Future." The theme of the 12th MACS meeting, held under India's presidency, is Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems for Healthy People and Planet.
There are four priority areas in this theme that will be discussed in depth. The areas are as follows: first, Food Security and Nutrition - the role of frontiers in science and technology; second, Building resilience and sustainable agriculture through climate resilient agriculture and One Health approaches; third, Digitalization for Agricultural Transformation; and finally, Public-Private Partnerships for Research and Development.
The MAHARISHI Initiative, or Millets And Other Ancient Grains International ReSearcH Initiative, will be featured at the convention. This International Initiative will focus on agro-biodiversity research and awareness, food security, and nutrition in conjunction with the International Year of Millets 2023.
"Options for G20 countries working together to share science-based technologies and innovative solutions will be investigated in these areas. The event will create new chances for collaboration in agricultural research, education, and extension, as well as improve the G20 forum for international economic cooperation. I wish the occasion well."
