Focus: Facts for Prelims
Why in News?
The G20 Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists (MACS) will be held in Varanasi from 17 to 19 April 2023 which will feature MAHARISHI Initiative.
Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists: Agenda and Details
- The first Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists (MACS) was held in Mexico in 2012, and the MACS includes ministries or governmental bodies responsible for agricultural research in the respective G20 states as well as leading research institutions which strategically advise these decision-makers.
- The theme of the 2023 MACS meeting is “Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems for Healthy People and Planet.”
- The MACS will discuss several topics including food and nutrition security, resilience to climate change, One Health approaches, digital agriculture, and public-private partnerships for research, education, and extension.
- The meeting will feature the MAHARISHI Initiative, which focuses on research and awareness about agro-biodiversity, food security, and nutrition in line with the International Year of Millets 2023.
There are four priority areas for focused discussion at the meeting, including:
- Food Security and Nutrition: The role of Frontiers in Science and Technology
- Building resilience and sustainable agriculture through approaches of climate-resilient agriculture and One Health
- Digitalization for Agricultural Transformation
- Public-Private Partnerships for Research and Development.
