Context:
BRICS Land Restoration Partnership launched
BRICS Land Restoration Partnership:
- Initiated at the 15th BRICS Agriculture Ministers’ meeting in Brasilia, Brazil (April 2025).
- Aims to combat land degradation, desertification, and soil fertility loss across the 11 BRICS member nations.
- Key Features –
- Focuses on creating a fair, inclusive, and sustainable agri-food system and emphasizes the welfare of small and marginal farmers.
- Promotes climate adaptation, digital agriculture, and sustainable farming practices.
- India’s Role –
- Shared India’s initiatives like the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), NICRA, and Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF).
- Advocated for public food stockholding systems, minimum support prices (MSP), and value chains connecting smallholders to consumers.
- Significance –
- Addresses the global challenge of land degradation, which affects 32% of India’s land area.
- Strengthens collaboration among BRICS nations to share best practices and technologies.
Similar Initiatives by the Indian Government:
- National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA):
- Focuses on climate-resilient agriculture and soil health management.
- Promotes efficient water use through programs like Per Drop More Crop.
- National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA):
- Aims to enhance the resilience of Indian agriculture to climate variability.
- Develops climate-resilient crop varieties and promotes adaptive farming practices.
- Watershed Development Programmes:
- A component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY).
- Focuses on soil and water conservation in rainfed areas.
- Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF):
- Encourages chemical-free farming using traditional methods.
- Reduces input costs and improves soil fertility.
- Digital Agriculture Mission:
- Leverages technologies like AgriStack and drone technology for precision farming.
- Enhances transparency and service delivery to farmers.
- Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) Target:
- India has committed to restoring 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.
- Aligns with the UNCCD’s Land Degradation Neutrality goals
Read more about BRICS
Source: TOI
Previous Year Question
Consider the following:
1. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
2. Missile Technology Control Regime
3. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
India is a member of which of the above?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2022 Prelims]
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d)