Expanding in scale and influence, BRICS contributes significantly to promoting trade cooperation, investment, sustainable development, food security, and poverty reduction. The group also leads efforts to reform global financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB), advocating for greater representation of emerging economies.
The BRICS Agriculture Working Group technical meeting took place in person amid food price concerns affecting economic and social stability in many countries. Extreme weather events, financial speculation, and global conflicts have intensified agricultural price fluctuations, impacting producers and consumers.
During the meeting, the Brazilian Minister of Agriculture, representing Brazil as the BRICS Chair for 2025, asserted that the global food security crisis is solvable. He called on BRICS nations to take collective responsibility and coordinate efforts to address 21st-century challenges, including high global food prices that put billions of people at risk of food insecurity.
In recent years, experiences from various countries, including BRICS members, have demonstrated that well-designed public policies can reverse food insecurity. As the BRICS Chair, Brazil has pledged to intensify food security and nutrition efforts, strengthen family farming, and promote sustainable development.
The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, launched in 2024 by Brazilian President Lula da Silva during Brazil’s G20 Presidency, enhances international cooperation through the exchange of best practices in public policy. This includes supporting small and medium-sized farms and ensuring vulnerable populations have access to healthy and diverse food sources.
BRICS plays a key role in global agricultural production, possessing 33% of the world’s agricultural land and 39% of global water resources. The bloc leads in meat, rice, soybean, wheat, and corn exports worldwide. In 2024, Brazil’s agricultural exports reached 165 billion USD, with 41% going to BRICS nations. Regional food reserves established by BRICS are seen as an essential tool to reduce vulnerability and stabilise food prices.
To enhance agricultural cooperation and ensure food security, BRICS members have discussed pressing issues, including climate change adaptation, land degradation, sustainable farming practices, trade expansion, economic inequality, and food price volatility.
The group is developing the 2025-2028 Action Plan, featuring initiatives to strengthen aquatic food systems, modernise agriculture with low-carbon technology, restore degraded land, and promote bioenergy production.
The 2025 BRICS Summit, themed “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for more Inclusive and Sustainable Governance”, aims to enhance global agricultural cooperation, promote resilient food systems, and implement sustainable solutions benefiting millions of people, especially in developing nations. This underscores the strong commitment of Brazil, as the BRICS Chair, and all member states to fostering sustainable agricultural development and ensuring global food security.
