Kathmandu, April 9 (PTI) India and Nepal signed an agreement on Wednesday to strengthen cooperation in the agricultural sector and further deepen the partnership between the two countries.
The agreement was signed by Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Nepal Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development Ram Nath Adhikari.
“The agreement will further deepen the partnership between our two countries by focusing on increasing crop productivity, improving post-harvest management, strengthening agricultural marketing systems, and promoting climate-rich and sustainable agricultural practices,” Chouhan said in an article on X.
The agreement aims to promote cooperation in agricultural science and technology, agricultural production, crop production, agricultural trade and marketing, plant protection and market acquisition, horticulture, integrated agricultural systems, micro-irrigation and other fields.
It also added that the two ministers also reviewed progress on various bilateral programs and agricultural development projects and discussed opportunities for further cooperation.
Later, Chouhan called on Prime Minister Sharma Oli at his official residence and sent greetings to Indian leaders.
They discuss the close and friendly relationships between India and Nepal, which are deeply rooted in history, culture, civilization and human-to-human relationships.
During the meeting, Chouhan stressed the need for modernization of agriculture, food security and economic development between the two countries, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
The minister, who attended the third Bimstec Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting in Nepal, said: “We discussed further strengthening the strong historical, cultural and human-to-people relationship between India and Nepal.”
He said there was substantial dialogue, especially in expanding bilateral cooperation between agriculture and relevant sectors, jointly addressing common challenges and working together to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Chouhan said he was pleased that the BIMSTEC meeting held in Nepal has become an important milestone in global efforts, agricultural prosperity and empowerment of farmers.
