New Delhi: The Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar, visited the SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC) in Dhaka Tuesday. The Secretary-General received a briefing from SAC Director Dr. Md. Harunur Rashid and his team on the center’s activities, accomplishments, and future plans, a SAARC press release announced.
The SAC, formerly known as the SAARC Agricultural Information Centre, was renamed in 2007. It has a mandate to promote agricultural research and development, as well as the transfer of agricultural technology across the region. The center fosters research and information networks among SAARC member states, shares technical information generated regionally to support innovation, and gathers and distributes information on proven agricultural technologies and effective farming practices. The SAC also develops and introduces cutting-edge agricultural technologies.
Dr. Rashid highlighted the center’s commitment to addressing challenges related to low productivity, livelihoods, the impacts of climate change, transboundary diseases, and trade barriers in agriculture. He also noted that the exchange of germplasm of high-yielding crops and livestock, and the transfer of climate-smart practices and technical expertise, have been key areas of focus for SAARC member states.
The Secretary General of SAARC commended the center’s impactful work in the vital areas of agriculture research, technology, and development. He emphasized the need to expand these activities, noting that South Asia is one of the regions most severely affected by climate change. The Secretary-General stressed the importance of the SAC’s role in assisting the region in addressing emerging challenges to food and nutritional security by developing and disseminating climate-resilient agricultural practices.
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