India today proposed the establishment of the BIMSTEC Centre of Excellence for Agriculture Cooperation in India at the third BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture, held in Kathmandu. The proposal was presented by Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who led the Indian delegation at the ministerial level dialogue aimed at strengthening regional collaboration in the agriculture sector.
Centre to Support Timely Fulfilment of Regional Agricultural Commitments
The proposed centre is envisaged as a dedicated institutional mechanism to facilitate the timely fulfilment of BIMSTEC commitments in agriculture and allied sectors.
The centre will emphasize key areas such as precision agriculture, climate risk mitigation, natural farming, gender equality and the application of artificial intelligence. It is also intended to function as a regional knowledge and skills-sharing hub for new and emerging agricultural technologies, including the use of drones and digital platforms. Its ultimate objective is to support food security, nutrition, and livelihood resilience across the Bay of Bengal region.
Third BIMSTEC Agriculture Ministerial Meeting Convenes in Kathmandu
The third BIMSTEC Agriculture Ministerial Meeting (BAMM) was attended by Agriculture Ministers and senior officials from all member countries, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The forum provided an opportunity for deliberation on collaborative frameworks for agricultural advancement, including sectors such as fisheries and livestock. As the highest decision-making body for agricultural cooperation in the BIMSTEC architecture, BAMM plays a pivotal role in shaping the region’s approach to sustainable agricultural development.
India Reiterates Policy Synergy Between National Initiatives and Regional Cooperation
India reaffirmed BIMSTEC’s alignment with its foreign policy priorities, particularly the ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East’ policies. Shared cultural and historical links across the region were cited as a foundation for stronger cooperation. India outlined a series of targeted policy measures in agriculture, including direct benefit transfers to farmers, enhanced access to institutional credit, implementation of the Soil Health Card scheme, the National Food Security Mission, the Crop Insurance Scheme, and the Namo Drone Didi initiative supporting drone deployment in agriculture. In parallel, efforts are being made to integrate digital technologies and to promote organic and natural farming as part of a broader environmental conservation and soil health strategy.
Capacity-Building Through Training, Workshops and Scholarships
India reiterated its commitment to enhancing agricultural cooperation under the BIMSTEC Agriculture Cooperation Plan (2023–2027). As part of this, India is organising training programmes and workshops in areas such as seed development, animal health, and pest management. In addition, fully funded scholarships for M.Sc. and Ph.D. courses in agriculture continue to be offered to students from BIMSTEC member states, contributing to long-term capacity-building in the region.
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Acknowledgement of Progress on Agricultural Action Plan
India acknowledged the collective progress made by BIMSTEC member countries in implementing the Plan of Action for Strengthening Agricultural Cooperation (2023–2027), following the 6th BIMSTEC Summit. Efforts to enhance cooperation in the sustainable development of fisheries and livestock were particularly noted, as these sectors are critical to food security and livelihood enhancement across the region.
India underlining the strategic relevance of BIMSTEC in addressing challenges related to food systems, climate adaptation, and sustainable agricultural practices. It reiterated full support for collaborative and coordinated efforts to advance agricultural development and food security across the Bay of Bengal region.