FAO India Representative Meets MEA Secretary Ahead Of Completing Tenure

Outgoing United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representative in India Takayuki Hagiwara met Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (West) Sibi George in New Delhi on Friday as part of a farewell interaction. During the meeting, George appreciated Hagiwara’s contributions to FAO’s work and activities in India and wished him success and good health for his future assignments.

The Ministry of External Affairs said the meeting highlighted Hagiwara’s role in supporting FAO initiatives in India during his tenure. “Secretary (West) appreciated his services and contributions to FAO's activities in India,” the ministry said in a statement. The discussion reflected the continued cooperation between India and the UN agency on issues related to agriculture, food security and sustainable development.

Hagiwara joined the FAO in 2003 and has been serving as the organisation’s Representative in India. Before taking up the India assignment, he worked as the Regional Programme Leader at the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. With more than 25 years of experience as a natural resources management specialist, he has been involved in programmes related to agriculture, environmental sustainability and rural development.

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The meeting comes amid growing recognition of India’s efforts in the agriculture and food security sectors. Earlier, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu presented Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the 2026 Agricola Medal, the organisation’s highest honour, at a ceremony held at the FAO headquarters. The award recognised India’s initiatives aimed at strengthening food security, improving agricultural productivity and supporting farmers.

The FAO chief highlighted several Indian programmes, including financial inclusion measures, large-scale food security schemes, direct income support for farmers and efforts to promote technology-based agricultural solutions. He also praised India’s initiatives on regenerative and natural farming, as well as the global promotion of millets through the International Year of Millets initiative conducted in partnership with the FAO.

Qu Dongyu further acknowledged India’s focus on digital public infrastructure and its role in improving access to technology-driven services, especially in developing countries. He said India’s sustained efforts in agriculture, poverty reduction and food security have contributed to broader progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The farewell meeting between Hagiwara and the MEA secretary underscored the ongoing partnership between India and the FAO in advancing these objectives.

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