Associations of countries in any form is supposed to provide a collective forum for consultation and cooperation in areas of interest common to the member countries. United Nations Organization and its many affiliated agencies formed after the last world war have almost all independent countries as members and one of the biggest achievements has been prevention of another world war for the last 60 years. There are many regional groups like ASEAN, SAARC, BRIC etc formed specifically to protect the common interests of countries bound by some well defined objectives. India which is a member of BRIC, a loose grouping of Brazil, Russia, India and China, is hoping to be benefited by the strength of other member countries in many areas of critical importance to its growth and development. The most recent meeting at Moscow, focusing on agriculture can herald a new era if member countries take the deliberations seriously.
"I feel that Bric has huge potential for cooperation in combating hunger and ensuring food security through coordinated approaches in modernising farming and inducting environment-friendly technologies," Pawar said at the end of his three-day visit to the Russian capital during which he attended the maiden session of the Bric agriculture ministers. The summit of the leaders of the four fastest emerging economies on April 16 in Brazil will be briefed on the outcome of the first-ever meeting of the farm ministers. Pawar said the experts group set up by the Bric farm ministers yesterday to help combat hunger and climate change will comprise the heads of the relevant institutes of the four-nation informal grouping.
It is refreshing that in an era of secrecy and intellectual property rights dominating the business landscape across the world, the four most populous countries representing more than 60% of world population are coming together and resolve to cooperate for the benefits of their population. The BRIC summit, coming up in April this year must give definitive shape to concrete action oriented programs with achievement mile stones to be achieved with in a short time frame. It should not degenerate into a photo-op session, wasting the time and dousing the aspirations of people yearning for food security and peaceful co-existence.
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment