The Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists (MACS) of G20 nations on “Sustainable Agriculture and Food System for Healthy People and Planet” concluded successfully at Varanasi today.
General (Dr.) V K Singh (Retd.), Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Road Transport and Highways inaugurated meeting on 17th April 2023.
About 80 delegates from G20 Member States; Invited Guest Countries, International Organizations participated in the meeting.
Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR) chaired the meeting for three days (17-19 April 2023).
The discussions were focused on Innovations and Technological Interventions for Agri-Food Systems Transformation, Frontiers in Science and Technology for Achieving Food Security & Nutrition, Biofortification in Food Crops for Enhancing Nutritional Value, Tropical Seaweed Farming for nutrition and blue growth, Millets And other Ancient Grains International Research Initiative (MAHARISHI), One Health as an Integrated and Unifying Approach: Partnerships and strategies for coordinated action, Transboundary Pests and Diseases: R&D Priorities for resilient agri-food systems, Climate Resilient Technologies and Innovations for sustainable agri-food systems, Nature-Positive Agriculture: Science and Innovations for building resilient agri-food system, Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI): Reducing GHS emissions and increasing crop yields.
Digital Agriculture and Traceability, Digital Technological Solutions for reducing Food Loss and Waste, Agri-tech Startup Ecosystem, Pluralistic Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services (EAS): partnerships for improving lab to land and outreach, Smallholder and Family Farming: G20- Global South Cooperation forAgri-R&D, Public-private Agri-R&D for Public Goods: Experience in Generating and Accelerating Innovations.
Centre on 19th April 2023 and had a glimpse of textile history of the city along with live demonstrations of the local artisans making their products. A small exhibition of leading institutions of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and State Agriculture Department, IRRI-SARC including other organisations such as NDDB, APEDA was also organized at TFC. The delegates were shown live preparations of millets dishes at the venue. Thereafter, Farewell Dinner and cultural performances was organized.
The MACS Chair Dr. Himanshu Pathak thanked all the delegates for their participation & contribution and handed over the MACS Presidency to Brazil.
