3rd BIMSTEC Agriculture Ministerial Meeting held in Kathmandu Nepal

The 3rd BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Agriculture Ministerial Meeting was held in Kathmandu, Nepal, on 10th April 2025. At the sidelines of the meeting, India signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Nepal to further cooperation in Agriculture.

The first BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Agriculture Ministerial Meeting was held in Myanmar on 12 July 2019, and the second was held in India on 10 November 2022. 

The Agricultural Ministers meeting took place days after the 6th BIMSTEC Summit meeting was held in Bangkok, Thailand on 4th April 2025. It was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders of BIMSTEC member countries.

About the BIMSTEC Agriculture Ministerial Meeting 

Agriculture and Food Security, which includes fisheries and livestock, is one of the seven areas of cooperation of BIMSTEC.

The highest decision-making body on Agriculture and Food Security is the Agriculture Ministerial Meeting.

The meeting is attended by the concerned ministers and senior officials of the member countries.

They discuss ways and means to promote close cooperation amongst the member countries in the agriculture sector, including fisheries and livestock.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan led Indian delegation 

All the seven member countries of BIMSTEC- India, Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar were represented by their Agriculture minister and senior officials of the Agriculture department.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, led the Indian delegation.

During his speech, Shivraj Singh Chouhan proposed the establishment of the 'BIMSTEC Centre of Excellence for Agriculture Cooperation in India'. 

Function of the Center 

• The proposed center will focus on natural farming, precision agriculture, mitigating climate risk, gender equality, and artificial intelligence.
• It will serve as a platform for sharing knowledge and skills on emerging technologies, including digital technologies, drones, to ensure food security, nutrition, and livelihood security in the region.
• play an important role in resolving and operationalizing various commitments of BIMSTEC in agriculture and allied sectors promptly

MoU  with Nepal 

During his visit to Kathmandu, Shivraj Singh Chouhan also met Nepal’s Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Ram Nath Adhikari.

Both countries signed an MoU to advance cooperation in the field of agriculture, focusing on sustainability and improved farming systems.

The MoU will focus on enhancing crop productivity, improving post-harvest management, strengthening agri-marketing systems, and promoting climate-resilient and sustainable agricultural practices.

Later, Shivraj Singh Chouhan also met the Nepali Prime Minister  KP Sharma Oli in Kathmandu.

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PM Modi attends the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, Thailand