ICRISAT & RIS Launched ISSCA to Drive Agricultural Transformation through South-South Cooperation

Current Context: On June 3, 2025, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) launched the ICRISAT Centre of Excellence for South-South Cooperation in Agriculture (ISSCA) in New Delhi.

Key Highlights:

• Objective: ISSCA aims to accelerate agricultural innovation and strengthen partnerships among Global South nations facing similar climatic and socio-economic challenges.
• Digital Platform: ISSCA features a digital portal serving as a repository of validated agricultural innovations, enabling peer-to-peer learning and technology transfer.
• Strategic Collaboration: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between ICRISAT and DAKSHIN, a Government of India initiative focused on capacity building and policy advisory.
• Leadership Statements: ICRISAT Director General Dr. Himanshu Pathak emphasized ISSCA’s role in empowering nations to lead their own agricultural transformation, while RIS Director General Prof. Sachin Chaturvedi highlighted its potential to scale sustainable solutions across the Global South.

Question:

Q.1 Which two organizations jointly launched ISSCA?
a) FAO and World Bank
b) ICRISAT and RIS
c) UNDP and WTO
d) CGIAR and IMF

Answer: b) The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) jointly launched ISSCA.