India at the 18th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) in Berlin: Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi Represents the Nation

Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary of India’s Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, represented the nation at the 18th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) in Berlin from 14–17 January 2026.

His participation in the high-level panel discussions reinforced India’s commitment to addressing global water challenges within agriculture, aligning with the forum’s theme “Water. Harvests. Our Future.”

India’s Strategic Engagement at GFFA 2026

Dr. Chaturvedi’s presence at the opening event positioned India among over 60 agriculture ministers and senior representatives from more than ten international organisations, including FAO, IFAD, and the World Bank.

The Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference on 17 January served as the forum’s political centerpiece, enabling India to share its policy framework on sustainable water management with the world’s largest informal gathering of agriculture ministers.

India’s interventions contributed to the collective effort to develop governance solutions for water scarcity and its impact on food security.

Water Security as Central Priority

During his panel interventions, Dr. Chaturvedi highlighted the critical role of water in the Indian agricultural context and outlined the Government of India’s initiatives for sustainable water management in the sector.

His statements reflected India’s practical experience in managing water resources for 146 million smallholder farmers, addressing both competing water demands and climate resilience. The discussions aligned with GFFA’s four thematic pillars: sustainable water use in agriculture, strengthening the blue bioeconomy, managing cross-sectoral water competition, and enhancing international water governance.

Strengthening Multilateral Cooperation

India’s engagement at GFFA 2026 demonstrated its proactive role in shaping global agricultural policy through evidence-based contributions.

By sharing national strategies on water management, India supported the forum’s objective of developing coherent responses to water-related risks affecting rural livelihoods worldwide.

The participation reinforced ongoing partnerships under existing intergovernmental frameworks and positioned India as a key voice in advancing sustainable bioeconomy principles within the global agri-food system.