New Centre of Excellence Launches to Drive Agricultural Transformation through South-South Cooperation
New Centre of Excellence Launches to Drive Agricultural Transformation through South-South Cooperation
The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), in collaboration with the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), launched the ICRISAT Centre of Excellence for South-South Cooperation in Agriculture (ISSCA) today during the Conference on Global South and Triangular Cooperation: Emerging Facets, held in New Delhi. The initiative aims to accelerate agricultural innovation and collaboration across the Global South.
The launch also featured the signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ICRISAT and DAKSHIN (Development and Knowledge Sharing Initiative) – a Government of India initiative focused on strengthening South-South cooperation through capacity building and development partnerships.
The establishment of ISSCA marks a landmark moment for global agricultural development, establishing a dedicated platform to exchange knowledge, scale innovations, and forge partnerships among countries facing similar agricultural, climatic, and socio-economic challenges.
The ISSCA will serve as a catalyst for translating proven agricultural solutions into scalable impact. It features a digital portal that functions as a living repository of validated innovations, enabling peer-to-peer learning, partnership brokering, and the deployment of low-cost, high-impact technologies and policy models tailored to dryland and developing regions.
Speaking at the launch, Director General of ICRISAT, Dr Himanshu Pathak said the Global South possesses a rich foundation of innovation, local expertise, and proven solutions, but more coordinated action, investment, and partnership are needed to unlock their full potential at scale.
Dr. Pathak further said that the establishment of ISSCA outlined ICRISAT’s commitment to supporting countries of the Global South in leading their own agricultural transformation, powered by science, enabled by strong partnerships, and aligned with a shared vision of inclusive growth and prosperity.
He also applauded DAKSHIN and the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) in advancing South-South and Triangular Cooperation.
Director General of RIS, Professor Sachin Chaturvedi said DAKSHIN endeavours to assist relevant stakeholders and partners in the identification and knowledge sharing of scalable and sustainable solutions that can transform the economies and societies of countries of the Global South.
Professor Chaturvedi also noted that ICRISAT & DAKSHIN’s partnership shall be a catalyst for strengthening systems for sustainable agricultural production, processing, and leveraging digital technologies for sustainable climate-smart agriculture in the Global South.
Building on this vision, Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR),
Dr Mangi Lal Jat, emphasized that the proactive partnership of ICAR with ISSCA reflects a strong commitment to advancing collaboration and knowledge exchange in agriculture across the Global South.