The third Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) concluded in Kathmandu under the leadership of Nepal’s Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Ramnath Adhikari.
Ministers from India and Bhutan attended the session in person, while delegates from Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka joined virtually. The meeting culminated in a joint statement, based on a draft finalized during the senior officials’ meeting, which was formally endorsed on Wednesday.
The discussions centered on enhancing regional collaboration in agriculture, livestock, and fisheries while addressing pressing challenges such as climate change and pesticide overuse. Minister Adhikari emphasized the need for united efforts to advance sustainable agricultural development across the BIMSTEC region.
Key outcomes of the meeting included:
- Establishment of a regional food reserve and seed bank to strengthen food security.
- Promotion of intra-regional agricultural trade and investment.
- Commitment to capacity building and knowledge exchange in the agricultural sector.
India proposed setting up a BIMSTEC Center of Excellence for Agricultural Innovation and developing digital public infrastructure to modernize agriculture across member states. A new action plan for enhanced collaboration in livestock and fisheries was also approved.
The ministers took stock of progress under the existing action plan, reviewed ongoing initiatives, and outlined strategic goals for the future. They expressed strong support for Nepal’s upcoming Mountain Agriculture Technology Workshop in June 2025, and welcomed Sri Lanka’s proposal to establish a Climate-Smart Agriculture Center.
Sri Lanka also confirmed its commitment to host the fourth BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and senior officials’ meeting in 2027.
On the sidelines, Minister Adhikari held bilateral meetings with Indian Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Bhutanese Agriculture Minister Lyonpo Yeshey Penjor. Discussions with Bhutan focused on joint interests such as organic farming, agricultural technology, climate-resilient farming systems, genetic resource exchange, and strengthening agricultural trade.
