Recent Activities home page

Regional Cooperation for Agricultural Development in South Asia
20 March 2007

 

 

Ahead the Delhi SAARC summit scheduled in April, the CPD hosted a dialogue titled Regional Cooperation for Agricultural Development in South Asia on 20 March 2007 at the CIRDAP auditorium in Dhaka. Hon’ble Advisor for Agriculture Dr C S Karim attended the dialogue as the Chief Guest while M Abdul Aziz, Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture, Md Touhid Hossain, Secretary in Charge of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Dr Quazi Shahabuddin, Director General of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) were present as the Special Guests. Dr Uttam Kumar Deb, Senior Research Fellow of the CPD presented the keynote paper and M Syeduzzaman, Member, CPD Board of Trustees Chaired the dialogue.

The keynote speaker made an in-depth review of the performance of agriculture in South Asia during the last two decades, progress and commitments for agricultural development in SAARC. He identified agriculture as the most important sector in South Asia contributing 26 per cent to the total GDP of the region and employing three-fourth of total labour force. Moreover agricultural population constituted two-third of total population in South Asia. In 2003, South Asia’s agricultural trade amounted to US$ 26 billion which was about 4 per cent of global agricultural trade. Therefore, performance of agriculture sector is important for economic growth and food security at the national and household levels.

Based on the study the CPD Senior Research fellow identified five potential and major areas for strengthening regional cooperation in South Asia suggested strategies for developing agricultural sector in the region in a manner that could build on cooperation, coordination and complementarities. These were related to:

(i) Agricultural Research and Technology Development (development of new varieties, hybrids and breeds, and water and natural resources management techniques; cooperation in new sciences such as remote sensing and geographical information system (GIS), biotechnology, weather and flood forecasting and disaster management; common data standard for GIS);

(ii) Technology Exchange (exchange of germplasm; exchange of variety and breed, crop and animal husbandry practices, water and natural resources management techniques); 

(iii) Capacity Building through training (human resource development) and development of regional facilities (sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) compliant facilities and certification system for organic farming and promotion of environmental goods);

 (iv) Harmonisation of Policies and Acts (such as protection of plant variety, biodiversity and indigenous knowledge); and

(v) Participation in WTO negotiations in agriculture.

Speakers at the seminar underscored the need for strengthening broader cooperation on agriculture among South Asian nations for overall development and for a common stand at the negotiations at WTO. They suggested charting a broader action plan for regional cooperation on agriculture and other areas in line with the South East Asian nations under ASEAN, which was initiated in the 1960s.

The Chief Guest of the dialogue Agricultural Adviser Dr C S Karim said that dialogues have began to increase cooperation between the South Asian countries and it needs to move forward. He added that there are some differences in determining tax and subsidy on agricultural products and it needs to be brought to a reasonable stage. Smuggling could increase if the tax and subsidy is not brought down to the same level, he continued. There were many scopes for cooperation among the South Asian states on agriculture, the Chief Guest said. He noted that due to climate change in the near future many changes will take place in agriculture and cropping pattern and that’s why the mind set of the people has to be of extending cooperation to each other. He advised to send the recommendations through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be discussed in the SAARC level.

Agricultural Secretary Abdul Aziz said several times SAARC countries reached to understandings to extend cooperation in agriculture but later on follow ups is hardly maintained. He emphasised on extending cooperation in the bilateral and regional levels. He opined to have a common stand in the WTO to attain maximum benefits from the WTO negotiations and mobility of seeds to be allowed for research. The Foreign Secretary in Charge, Md Touhid Hossain said that communication infrastructure has to be developed for agriculture development. He added that the farmers are deprived from their return due to absence of proper communication system mismanagement of technology. He proposed for establishing a Food Bank to ensure food security. Director General of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) Dr Quazi Shahabuddin Ahmed, said agriculture was identified as one of the important areas of cooperation by SAARC but little progress has been evident so far.

Taking part in the discussion the CPD Executive director suggested discussing the issues like technology transfer and agricultural subsidy in the upcoming Delhi SAARC summit. He also called for ensuring food security and to implement the recommendations which were suggested during Dhaka SAARC summit. He opined to explore avenues to have a common stand in the WTO as the South Asian countries do not have similar condition i.e. some countries are food importer while some are exporter. He emphasised to bring the agriculture structure to a similar one.

In his presidential address, M Syeduzzaman stressed the need for short and long term plans in view of the climate change in future that might have negative consequences on farm production in the region. The Former Finance Minister also underscored the need for sharing of cross-country experience with regard to research in the agricultural sector.

Among others Additional Secretary of Agricultural Ministry, Dr Syed Naquib Muslim, Former secretaries A F M Sarwar Kamal & Dr Z Karim, Former Members of Planning Commission Dr Quazi Mesbahuddin Ahmed & Professor M A Sattar Mandal, Director General of Bangladesh rice Research institute (BRRI) Dr Noor-e-Elahi, Research Director of BIDS Dr M Asaduzzaman, Former Chairman of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC)President of Agribusiness Development Organisatin of Bangladesh Fakhrul Islam Munshi, Chief Scientific Officer of Bangladesh Rice Research institute (BRRI) Dr Rafiqul Islam, Professor of Dhaka University M K Alam, Former General Manager of Grameen Bank Mozammel Huq, also took part in the discussion.