Foreign delegates from 20 countries visited Rajwada and a rural haat; primary keyword: BRICS agriculture conference

 Delegates from around 20 BRICS and partner countries spent Wednesday morning touring Indore’s heritage core and a rural haat, getting a close look at Malwa’s culture and agricultural produce on the second day of the five-day BRICS agriculture conference.

Historic Rajwada visit

According to officials, the delegation arrived at Rajwada in the late morning and was received at the gate with traditional honours. Local historian Jafar Ansari briefed the visitors on Indore’s Holkar-era history and the architectural significance of Rajwada, offering a quick orientation before the next stop.

Rural haat programme

From Rajwada the group moved to the Dhakkanwala Kuan haat, a makeshift rural market set up to showcase Madhya Pradesh’s agricultural products, handicrafts and rural enterprises. Initial reports indicate stalls featured One District One Product (ODOP) items such as Burhanpur banana-based goods, Balaghat’s GI-tagged Chinnor rice, Rewa mango varieties and tribal cereals from Jhabua.

Delegates sampled Rewa mango slices on-site and, visibly pleased, complimented the fruit’s aroma and sweetness, sources familiar with the matter said. Stalls also displayed natural honey, A2 dairy products, herbal inputs and handloom textiles including Chanderi and Maheshwari weaves.

Cultural welcome, ground cues

Local artists and tribal performers welcomed the guests with Malvi folk songs and dances. Several delegates joined the dance troupe briefly, clapping and moving to traditional rhythms while sitting areas—charpais laid out for rest—created a rustic atmosphere. Delegates were also presented with traditional turbans during the welcome ceremony, a customary gesture of respect.

Officials said the haat aimed to familiarise international participants with small-scale rural value chains and women-led self-help group initiatives. Many delegates asked vendors about organic cultivation techniques and the role of collective enterprises in market access.

Interest in natural farming models

Representatives showed particular interest in natural or low-input farming models demonstrated by some stalls. Officials accompanying the tour highlighted examples of farmer-producer organisations, women’s micro-enterprises and local efforts on post-harvest processing that increase rural incomes.

“Several delegates sought details on scaling community-based models for their regions,” an official involved in the visit said on condition of anonymity.

Diplomatic and business context

The Rajwada visit came amid a packed conference schedule. On Tuesday, India and Russia held a bilateral meeting that, officials said, focused on boosting agricultural trade, strengthening technical cooperation and collaborating on climate-resilient farming and agricultural research.

The BRICS agriculture event — scheduled in Indore from June 9 to 13 — brings together agriculture ministers, officials and experts from member and partner countries. The working groups are discussing food security and nutrition, agricultural trade, climate-smart farming, agri-tech and measures to raise farmer incomes, organisers said.

Upcoming sessions and significance

Through June 11, technical working group meetings will continue. A ministerial dialogue is slated for June 12, touching on smallholder support, women and youth in agriculture, digital tools and future food security strategies. The conference will culminate on June 13 with a plenary of agriculture ministers expected to issue a joint communiqué on cooperation areas including innovation, reducing food loss and climate adaptation.

For Madhya Pradesh, experts say the event is an opportunity to project the state’s agri-value chain strengths and attract investment in food processing and exports. “Exposing international delegates to ODOP products and farmer groups could open new market linkages,” a state agriculture official said.

What to watch next

In the coming days, organisers plan trade facilitation booths and technical demonstrations. Delegates will visit farm sites and processing units, while ministerial talks may outline concrete cooperation or pilot projects. Local authorities said media and photo-ops from Rajwada and the haat will be followed by more policy-level discussions through the weekend.