India and ASEAN countries have agreed to strengthen cooperation in climate-resilient farming, digital agriculture, food safety, technology and agricultural value chains.
The agreement came during the 9th ASEAN–India Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry, held in New Delhi on September 9.
The two sides identified several priority areas, including AI-enabled agriculture, low-emission rice production, better water use, soil health, food safety, post-harvest management, agroforestry and stronger agricultural supply chains.
India and ASEAN will also work together on joint research, technology exchange, capacity building and farmer exchanges under their cooperation plan for 2026–2030.
The Ministers stressed the need for closer collaboration between research institutions, technology companies, the private sector and farmers so that new agricultural technologies can reach the ground faster.
Improving market connectivity, value addition and agricultural logistics will also be an important part of the partnership. The countries agreed that stronger agricultural systems are needed to deal with climate change, extreme weather, fluctuating input costs and disruptions in global trade.
During their visit to the ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Pusa, ASEAN delegates were also shown Indian developments in crop research, protected cultivation, digital farming and conservation of plant genetic resources.
The next ASEAN–India Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry is scheduled for 2028.