On November 20, 2025, the leafy Johannesburg suburb of Houghton played host to a gathering that, while perhaps not making front-page headlines in every corner of the globe, may well shape the future of how nations feed themselves—and how the world tells its own story. The Global South Media and Think Tank Forum, co-hosted by South Africa’s Independent Media and China’s Xinhua News Agency, brought together senior government officials, media leaders, and academics from across Africa, China, and beyond. The forum’s theme, “Reforming Global Governance: New Roles and Visions for China-Africa Cooperation,” could not have been more timely.
Dr Iqbal Survé, Chairman of Independent Media and a key figure in the BRICS Media Forum since 2018, set the tone in his opening remarks. He welcomed dignitaries with a call to action: “The Global South represents the majority of humanity—home to immense potential, natural wealth, creativity, and resilience. But to truly harness this strength, we must continue to build on the foundations of collaboration, cooperation, and solidarity.” According to Independent Media, Dr Survé emphasized the profound responsibility media professionals and thought leaders bear in shaping narratives that reflect the aspirations and achievements of their people, rather than allowing others to define them.
The timing of this forum was no accident. As Dr Survé pointed out, the world is undergoing profound political, economic, and social transformations. The traditional centers of power are evolving, and the Global South is emerging as a “formidable and cohesive force for change.” The partnership between China and Africa, he said, stands as a beacon of what genuine cooperation can achieve—grounded in mutual respect and a shared commitment to a fairer, more inclusive world order.
But the forum was about more than just words. Behind the diplomatic language and ceremonial protocol, a new reality is taking shape—one in which the countries of the Global South, particularly the BRICS alliance (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and six new members), are fundamentally reshaping the world’s approach to food security and agricultural trade.
According to Watcher.Guru, BRICS nations now control around 42% of worldwide food production and approximately 33% of global agricultural land. They also hold about 39% of the planet’s water resources. These numbers aren’t just impressive—they’re transformative. The alliance produces more than 40% of the world’s grain and meat, over 35% of its rice, 30% of its maize, and more than 25% of its wheat. “The BRICS countries are a pillar of global food security,” expert Lubarto Sartoyo observed, highlighting the sheer scale of their agricultural might.
Brazil, for instance, exports over $165 billion in agricultural products each year, with a significant portion heading to fellow BRICS members. Russia, once a grain importer, has become the world’s largest wheat exporter over the past two decades. India, meanwhile, has achieved food sufficiency and security through a long-term strategy of building up strategic food reserves. As Jail Patil from India’s Department of Food and Public Distribution explained, “Building our food reserves, especially the strategic ones, was not an overnight journey; it was a long journey in which we became self-sufficient in our agricultural production. We then moved from a situation of food dependence to one of food sufficiency—and then advanced towards food security.”
These combined capabilities allow BRICS to exert a stabilizing influence on global food markets, especially at a time when prices are rising and supply chains are under strain. A particularly ambitious initiative is the proposed BRICS grain exchange, which aims to consolidate between 30% and 40% of global supply in key crops. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev put it plainly: “The establishment of a grain exchange will strengthen global food security.” Supported at the highest levels during the 2024 BRICS agriculture ministers’ negotiations, the exchange is expected to facilitate direct trade between exporters and buyers, particularly in the Global South, using local currencies rather than relying solely on the US dollar. This move not only reduces transaction costs but also shields participants from the volatility of global currency markets.
For many emerging markets, this is more than just a technical adjustment—it’s a lifeline. The grain exchange and other BRICS initiatives offer more predictable access to supplies and a way to sidestep the Western-dominated commodity exchanges in places like Chicago and London. As Watcher.Guru notes, these new trading mechanisms are already attracting attention from countries seeking alternatives to established systems.
Stability, however, isn’t just about trade. The BRICS 2025-2028 Action Plan focuses on strengthening family farming, combating hunger, and facilitating agricultural trade among member states. Regional food reserves have been established across BRICS territories, providing a cushion against supply shocks and helping to stabilize prices for import-dependent nations. Executive Secretary of Brazil’s Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Rivetla Edipo Araujo Cruz, summed up the bloc’s priorities: “The result of the work carried out during this two-month cycle of intense dialogue is reflected in the Declaration we signed today. It represents a political commitment to our BRICS partners and to the world. Above all, it expresses our shared desire to move forward on what we consider a priority: ensuring that our populations have access to nutritious and safe food.”
Technology and infrastructure investments are another key part of the BRICS strategy. Member states are pouring resources into projects that connect agricultural regions to ports and processing facilities, while also adopting precision farming techniques and climate-resistant crop varieties. These efforts, according to Sartoyo, are crucial: “The main challenge will not be the global shortage of food, but its economic and physical accessibility for the poorest segments of the population.”
The stakes are high. The World Bank’s Global Report on Food Crises 2024 found that by July 2024, around 99.1 million people in 59 countries faced acute food shortages, hunger, and forced migration. For these nations, the emergence of BRICS as a food security hub is not just a matter of economics—it’s a matter of survival.
Beyond immediate needs, BRICS agricultural policies are beginning to influence international standards on sustainability, trade terms, and food safety protocols. As more developing nations look to BRICS for leadership, the bloc’s commitment to open agricultural trade and dismantling monopolies in food exports is gaining traction. The power dynamics are shifting, and the Global South is asserting itself—not as a passive recipient of aid or policy, but as an active architect of its own future.
As Dr Survé urged at the Johannesburg forum, “Together, we can ensure that the Global South is no longer defined by others but defined by ourselves—through our progress, innovation, and unity.” The conversations that began in Houghton may echo far beyond those walls, shaping not just the stories we tell, but the systems that feed the world.
