India’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, alongside agricultural ministers from ten Southeast Asian nations, held a meeting on 9 September 2026 in New Delhi to coordinate farming and food security efforts. The ninth ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry brought together officials to address shared challenges in feeding their populations sustainably. The discussions will shape agricultural cooperation across the region until 2030.
What was agreed
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to working together on food security, sustainable farming practices, and building supply chains that can withstand disruption. They acknowledged threats to agriculture including climate change, extreme weather, geopolitical tensions, and volatility in fertilizer and energy prices. They stressed the need to keep food and agricultural input supplies flowing, particularly to smallholder farmers and vulnerable groups.
During the previous cooperation period from 2021 to 2025, ASEAN and India achieved several results. They held joint festivals celebrating millets in Jakarta and New Delhi in 2023 to promote nutritious, climate-hardy crops. They launched a fellowship scheme in 2024 offering 50 Master’s scholarships over five years to students from Southeast Asian countries studying agriculture and related fields. They advanced work on smart farming, soil health, and the use of artificial intelligence and digital tools for precision agriculture.
A new five-year cooperation plan for 2026-2030 will focus on four areas: strengthening policy dialogue on food security, trade and value chains; building institutional networks and digital systems; developing capacity and conducting joint research; and developing human resources through farmer exchanges and rural enterprise support.
Priority projects under the new plan include work on low-emission rice farming, water productivity, digital agriculture tools including artificial intelligence, soil health improvement, climate-resilient crops, food safety, reducing food waste, sustainable forest management, and strengthening agricultural logistics. The two sides agreed to involve research institutions, farmers’ organisations, small businesses, the private sector and development partners in implementing these initiatives.
What this means for you
If you farm in India or Southeast Asia, expect greater access to training in digital farming techniques and climate-resilient crop varieties over the next five years. Agricultural traders and exporters will benefit from improved logistics networks and focus on reducing food loss in supply chains. Consumers across the region may see more diverse, nutritious food options as these countries promote climate-hardy crops like millets alongside traditional staples.