The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics launched a new Centre of Excellence for South-South Cooperation in Agriculture on Tuesday, aiming to accelerate innovation, knowledge sharing and partnership building in agricultural development across the Global South.

The center was inaugurated during the Conference on Global South and Triangular Cooperation: Emerging Facets in New Delhi, in collaboration with the Research and Information System for Developing Countries, a government think tank.

Strategic MoU Signed with DAKSHIN

The launch also saw ICRISAT sign a memorandum of understanding with the Development and Knowledge Sharing Initiative, also known as DAKSHIN, a government-backed platform focused on strengthening capacity-building and development cooperation among southern nations.

“The Global South possesses a rich foundation of innovation, local expertise, and proven solutions,” said Dr Himanshu Pathak, director general of ICRISAT. “But to unlock their full potential, we need more coordinated action, investment and partnership.”

Dr Pathak added that ISSCA will help countries lead their own agricultural transformation, backed by science, aligned with inclusive growth goals and enabled through South-South collaboration.

Digital Portal for Scalable Impact

The ISSCA features a digital portal that will act as a living repository of validated agricultural innovations, low-cost technologies and policy models tailored to dryland and developing regions.

It is designed to enable peer-to-peer learning, partner matchmaking, and scaling of climate-resilient solutions.

RIS Director-General Professor Sachin Chaturvedi said the ICRISAT-DAKSHIN partnership will enhance digital and climate-smart agriculture systems. “Our goal is to identify and share scalable, sustainable solutions that can transform the economies and societies of the Global South,” he said.

ICAR Signals Strong Backing

Dr Mangi Lal Jat, secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education and director general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, welcomed the initiative, saying ICAR’s proactive engagement with ISSCA underscores India’s commitment to regional and global agricultural knowledge exchange.

The center is expected to serve as a key node in India’s expanding South-South and Triangular Cooperation agenda, particularly in the agriculture and food security sectors.

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