Union Agriculture
Minister Holds Bilateral Meeting with Fijian Counterpart to Deepen India–Fiji Cooperation
in the Agriculture Sector
·
Minister
Highlights Deepening India–Fiji Cooperation in Agriculture and Food Security,
Agree to Extend MoU and Establish Joint Working Groups
·
India–Fiji
Discussions Focus on Capacity Building, Technology Sharing and Research
Cooperation in Agriculture
·
India–Fiji
to Enhance Knowledge Sharing and Research Collaboration in Agriculture
India–Fiji Bilateral Meeting on
Agriculture (10 Jan 2026)
·
Leaders
Involved:
o
India: Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union
Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
o
Fiji: Tomasi Tunabuna,
Minister for Agriculture & Waterways
·
Key
Outcomes:
o
Extension
of the MoU on Agriculture Cooperation for another five years
o
Establishment
of a Joint Working Group (JWG) to advance collaboration
o
Strengthening
of historical ties based on mutual respect and cultural connections
·
Areas
of Collaboration:
o
Capacity
building & training
(including student exchanges)
o
Technology
sharing
(small-scale machinery, digital agriculture tools)
o
Research
cooperation
(infrastructure development, genetic exchange)
o
Knowledge
sharing on
reducing food loss and waste
·
Delegations
Present:
o
Fiji: Ministers for Agriculture, Multi-Ethnic
Affairs & Sugar Industry, High Commissioner, senior officials from sugar
sector
o
India: Secretaries of Agriculture &
Farmers Welfare and DARE, senior officers
In short: India and Fiji agreed to deepen
cooperation in agriculture and food security by extending their MoU, forming a
Joint Working Group, and enhancing collaboration in training, technology, and
research.
[ABS News Service/10.01.2026]
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Shivraj
Singh Chouhan, held a bilateral meeting with Tomasi Tunabuna,
Minister for Agriculture and Waterways of Fiji, today at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi.
Both the sides discussed ongoing cooperation and outlined future areas of collaboration.
Minister highlighted that India enjoys historical relations
with Fiji which is growing further on mutual respect, cooperation and strong cultural
and people-to-people ties. He further underscored that both countries recognise
the significance of agriculture and food security as key areas for bilateral cooperation.
Both Ministers held a fruitful discussion on a broad range of
issues of mutual interest. The two sides agreed to extend the Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) for a further five years and to establish a Joint Working Group (JWG) to advance
cooperation. In addition to this the key areas of collaboration discussed included
student exchanges, training and capacity-building programmes, and technology sharing
covering small-scale machinery, and digital agriculture tools. The discussions also
focused on strengthening research infrastructure, genetic exchange initiatives and
knowledge sharing on reducing food loss and waste.
In addition to the Agriculture Minister,
the Fijian delegation comprised Tomasi Tunabuna, Minister
for Agriculture and Waterways of Fiji; CharanJeath Singh,
Minister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs and the Sugar Industry; H.E. Jagannath Sami, High
Commissioner of Fiji; Dr. Vinesh Kumar, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sugar;
Mr. Nitya Reddy, Chairman of the Board of
Directors of the Fiji Sugar Corporation; and Mr. Paulo Daurewa, Counsellor at the
High Commission of Fiji.
Representing India were Secretary of the Department of Agriculture
& Farmers Welfare, Shri Devesh Chaturvedi; Secretary DARE Shri M. L. Jat, along
with other senior officers.