Nepal and India have agreed to formulate and implement a biennial action plan within the next three months to translate bilateral agreements on agricultural cooperation into tangible outcomes, Nepal’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development said on Monday.
The decision was taken during the ninth meeting of the Nepal–India Joint Agriculture Working Group, held in Kathmandu on Sunday and Monday. The two sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation between agricultural universities and research institutions in both countries, including the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), through separate, time-bound action plans, the ministry said in a statement.
The two countries further agreed to enhance collaboration in the livestock, poultry and fisheries sectors under a separate memorandum of understanding.
Agreements were also reached to streamline logistical processes to ensure the smooth supply of chemical fertilisers, strengthen cooperation in agricultural infrastructure development, and maintain regular dialogue between relevant agencies to address technical issues related to food quality standards and quarantine requirements.
The Indian side reiterated its commitment to expanding cooperation with Nepal in agricultural research, technology transfer and infrastructure development, in line with its “Neighbourhood First” policy.
Reviewing progress made under existing cooperation frameworks, the Nepali side informed India that 92,766 doses of semen have so far been produced from 15 high-quality Murrah male buffaloes gifted by the Indian government.
These buffaloes were provided to Nepal under an agreement reached during former Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s visit to New Delhi in 2023, aimed at improving native buffalo breeds and strengthening Nepal’s livestock sector.
Acknowledging the significant contribution of this support to livestock development and breed improvement, the Nepali side expressed its gratitude to the Indian government, the ministry said.
During the meeting, Nepal appreciated India’s recognition of laboratory testing for eight categories of Nepali agricultural products and sought an expansion of the list. In April, India officially recognised test certificates issued by Nepal’s National Food and Feed Reference Laboratory, allowing select Nepali food products tested domestically to be exported to India.
Nepal also requested unhindered access for its agricultural produce to the Indian market, according to the ministry.
The two sides held detailed discussions on expanding cooperation in emerging areas such as digital agriculture, climate-resilient farming, natural farming systems and food security.
It was also agreed that the tenth meeting of the Nepal–India Joint Agriculture Working Group would be held in India on dates to be finalised through mutual consultation.
The meeting was co-chaired by Hari Bahadur K.C., Joint Secretary at Nepal’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, and Pramod Kumar Meherda, Additional Secretary at India’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
— IANS
