Bill Gates and Shivraj Singh Chouhan Explore Agri, Rural Synergies

Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, met Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in New Delhi on Monday to discuss deepening collaboration in agriculture and rural development.

The hour-long meeting, held at Krishi Bhawan, underscored India’s strides in sustainable farming and the potential for expanded partnership with the Gates Foundation.

Chouhan highlighted ongoing work with the Foundation, stating, “The Bill Gates Foundation is already collaborating with the Government of India, and today we explored new areas for joint efforts.” He briefed Gates on India’s focus on climate-resistant and bio-fortified crop varieties—key to future food security—noting that the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed over 2,900 varieties, with 85% climate-resilient and 179 biofortified. “There’s scope for more technical collaboration with ICAR,” he added.

Gates praised India’s agricultural research, remarking, “The work being done here is excellent and can benefit the world.” Discussions spanned digital agriculture, AI, biotechnology, and climate-friendly techniques, with Chouhan emphasizing “huge possibilities” to enhance ties. He also lauded the Foundation’s role in strengthening rural initiatives like the Model Cluster Level Federation.

The meeting, attended by Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi, Rural Development Secretary Shailesh Singh, ICAR officials, and Gates Foundation representatives Hari Menon and Alkesh Advani, builds on the Foundation’s long-standing support for India’s smallholder farmers and rural communities.

As India eyes a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, this dialogue signals a robust push to blend global expertise with local innovation for agricultural resilience and rural prosperity.