Lok Sabha Question No. 406 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-04-26
Subject: Meeting of SAARC Agriculture Ministers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: R. GOPALAKRISHNAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 406 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26/04/2016

## MEETING OF SAARC AGRICULTURE MINISTERS

406. SHRI R. GOPALAKRISHNAN:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f"k vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has urged the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations to join hands for the betterment of agriculture and farmers;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the details of other issues discussed and the resolutions adopted in the meeting of SAARC Agriculture Ministers held recently?

## A N S W E R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f'k vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ea=ky; esa jkT; ea=h

(DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

- (a) & (b): Yes, Madam.  It was mentioned that 'let us once pledge again to work together  in  a  cooperative  manner  to  help  each  other  for  strengthening  farming, farmers and food, nutritional, livelihood and environmental security in the region.'
- (c) Matters  related  to  multi-stakeholders  dialogues  on  Management  of  soil/land towards sustainable agriculture in South Asia, and Pulses research and development in  SAARC  region:  Challenges  and  way  forward,  progress  made  on  the  Second Extra-Ordinary  Meeting  of  the  SAARC  Agriculture  Ministers  (New  Delhi,  05 November  2008),  Technical  Committee  on  Agriculture  &  Rural  Development, SAARC Agriculture Centre, Seed Bank, SAARC Food Bank, Technical cooperation in  agricultural  research  and  extension,  identification  of  regional  and  sub-regional projects and cooperation with international organizations such as FAO, ADB, OIE, IFAD etc. were discussed. SAARC Agriculture Ministers meeting adopted the 12 point resolution as the Dhaka Statement on Agriculture and Rural Development.  A copy  of  the  Dhaka  Statement  on  Agriculture  and  Rural  Development  is  given  at Annexure .

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## [Part (c) to Lok Sabha USQ No.406 for 26-04-2016]

## Dhaka Statement on Agriculture and Rural Development

1. Cooperation among SAARC Member States in Agriculture and Rural Development to be further strengthened and sustained.
2. Time-befitting rural development projects are to be undertaken with financing from the SAARC Development Fund and if additionally required, from other multi-lateral financial institutions.  In relevant cases, co-financing options are to be explored to implement projects that generate mass employment in rural areas.
3. The barriers to agriculture trade at the regional level are to be identified and addressed.  A joint consultative meeting between SAFTA  Committee  of  Experts and Technical Committee  on Agriculture and Rural Development  (TCARD)  is  to ascertain and recommend what agricultural items currently on the SAFTA sensitive list could be delisted.
4. The non-tariff barriers in agricultural trade are to be properly looked into.  Capacity of the South Asian Regional Standards Organization (SARSO) to be enhanced so that it can fast resolve any standard related issues in agricultural trade.
5. The ongoing partnership of SAARC with the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United  Nations  (FAO)  and  World  Organization  for  Animal  Health  (OIE)  on  livestock matters  is  to  continue.   The  activities  of  the  Regional  Support  Unit  and  Regional Epidemiology Centre (REC) on livestock are to be sustained.
6. Partnership  with  UN  specialized  agencies,  regional  and  international  institutions  to continue and further strengthened.
7. The Member States to provide all possible support to turn the SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC) into a 'centre of excellence' so that it can contribute to making important scientific breakthrough in agriculture and rural development.  The SAC is to carry out need based training and capacity building activities.  FAO's support to be welcomed in broadening the capacity of SAARC Agriculture Centre.
8. More  action  research  to  be  implemented  by  the  SAARC  Agriculture  Centre  and  a consortium  of  agricultural  scientists  in  the  Member  States.   The  outcome  of  the  action research to be spread across the region.
9. Considering South Asia's vast plant and animal genetic resources, the SAARC Seed Bank and Livestock Gene Bank (as directed by the 18th Summit) to facilitate the exchange of high quality germplasm among the Member States.
10. Barriers  hindering  the  operationalization  of  SAARC  Food  Bank  are  to  be  address  on  a priority  basis.   With  support  from  international  specialized  bodies  such  as  UNESCAP  a comprehensive guideline is to be developed covering issues such as pricing, transportation, threshold, grain quality, storage facility and location.
11. SAARC Secretariat to partner with relevant regional and international specialized bodies and organizations and harness expertise and capacities available in the region to commission studies on the scope of agro-processing in South Asia and potential markets both within and beyond.
12. With  contributions  from  the  SAARC  Member  States,  SAC  to  facilitate  exchange  at  the levels of scientists, farmers and extension workers in the SAARC region.

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