The 2nd Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting on Agriculture between India and Argentina was held virtually on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in bilateral agricultural cooperation.
Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary of India’s Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, emphasized Argentina’s importance as a key partner for India, highlighting the potential for collaboration in sharing knowledge, technologies, and best practices. He identified agricultural mechanization, pest control, climate-resilient agriculture, and joint research as critical areas for cooperation, underscoring the mutual benefits for both nations.
Argentina’s Sergio Iraeta reaffirmed Argentina’s commitment to strengthening ties with India, expressing interest in advancing cooperation in agricultural mechanization, genome editing, and plant breeding technologies. He noted that the rich agricultural expertise of both countries could complement each other to enhance productivity, promote mechanization, and improve farmers’ welfare.
Muktanand Agrawal, Joint Secretary (Plant Protection), provided an overview of India’s agricultural achievements, spotlighting government initiatives such as digital solutions, climate-resilient practices, risk mitigation, and farmer credit schemes aimed at bolstering the sector.
Discussions covered key areas including horticulture, oilseed and pulses value chains, mechanization, precision agriculture, carbon credits for farmers, biopesticides, locust control, new breeding technologies, and market access. The meeting saw participation from senior officials of India’s Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, and Ministry of External Affairs, reflecting a strong commitment to advancing this partnership.