The decision was taken during a bilateral meeting between Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Fiji’s Minister for Agriculture and Waterways Tomasi Tunabuna at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi.
Highlighting the strong historical ties between the two countries, Chouhan said India–Fiji relations continue to grow on the foundation of mutual respect, cultural affinity and people-to-people connections. He underscored that agriculture and food security remain central pillars of bilateral engagement, given their importance to livelihoods and economic stability in both nations.
The ministers reviewed ongoing cooperation and outlined future areas of collaboration. Both sides agreed that the extended MoU will provide a structured framework to advance joint initiatives through the proposed Joint Working Group. The JWG will facilitate policy dialogue, project implementation and monitoring across priority sectors.
Key areas of cooperation discussed include student exchange programmes, training and capacity-building initiatives for farmers and professionals, and technology sharing in small-scale farm machinery and digital agriculture tools. The two sides also explored strengthening agricultural research infrastructure, promoting genetic exchange programmes, and sharing best practices to reduce food loss and post-harvest waste.
“These initiatives will enhance productivity, improve farm incomes and strengthen resilience against climate challenges,” officials familiar with the discussions said.
The Fijian delegation included Minister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs and Sugar Industry Charan Jeath Singh; Fiji’s High Commissioner to India Jagannath Sami; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sugar Dr Vinesh Kumar; Fiji Sugar Corporation chairman Nitya Reddy; and Counsellor at the High Commission Paulo Daurewa.
India was represented by Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Devesh Chaturvedi; Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), M L Jat; along with senior government officials.
Industry observers said the agreement signals New Delhi’s continued push to strengthen South-South cooperation in agriculture, particularly with island nations facing growing food security risks due to climate change and supply chain disruptions.
The extended MoU is expected to accelerate knowledge transfer, institutional linkages and joint research projects, positioning both countries to develop scalable and sustainable agricultural models suited to diverse agro-climatic conditions.
Officials added that the Joint Working Group will be operationalised in the coming months, with a roadmap for priority projects and regular review mechanisms to track progress.