London: India is among 27 countries to sign up for a sustainable agriculture action agenda at the conclusion of the first week of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, laying out new commitments to make farming more sustainable and less polluting.

The 'Sustainable Agriculture Policy Action Agenda for the Transition to Sustainable Agriculture and Global Action Agenda for Innovation in Agriculture' was among the highlight action pledges to be clinched by the participating countries at the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on Saturday.

The countries laid out new commitments to change their agricultural policies to become more sustainable and less polluting and to invest in the science needed for sustainable agriculture and for protecting food supplies against climate change.

"If we are to limit global warming and keep the goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius alive, then the world needs to use land sustainably and put protection and restoration of nature at the heart of all we do," said Alok Sharma, the Indian-origin UK Cabinet minister, in his role as the President of COP26.

"The commitments being made today show that nature and land use is being recognized as essential to meeting the Paris Agreement goals, and will contribute to addressing the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. Meanwhile, as we look ahead to negotiations in week two of COPI urge all parties to come to the table with the constructive compromises and ambitions needed," he said.

Others besides India to sign up for the action plan include Australia, Uganda. Madagascar, Tanzania, Vietnam, Nigeria, Lesotho, Laos, Indonesia, Guinea, Ghana, Germany, Philippines, Ethiopia, UK, Colombia, Costa Rica, Morocco, Netherlands. New Zealand, Nigeria. Philippines Sierra Leone, Spain, Switzerland, and the UAE.