Partnership between BIMSTEC Secretariat and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
To maintain close and beneficial cooperation with existing international and regional organizations with similar aims and purposes is one of the purposes of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). In pursuit of this purpose, BIMSTEC Secretariat and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 05 March 2023 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
IFPRI, a renowned organization, plays a pivotal role in providing research-based policy solutions to combat poverty, hunger, and malnutrition in developing countries. This partnership aims to address the pressing challenges related to food and climate security, as well as agricultural development in the BIMSTEC region. The collaboration between BIMSTEC and IFPRI signifies a significant step towards enhanced technical cooperation and capitalizing on the competencies and expertise of both organizations.
The MoU was signed by H.E. Tenzin Lekphell, Secretary General of BIMSTEC, and Dr. Johan Swinnen, Director General of IFPRI and Managing Director of Systems Transformation at CGIAR, representing their respective organizations. The MoU will facilitate collaboration and partnerships in the areas of common interest such as agriculture trade and investment, food security, digital agriculture, improving competitiveness in agricultural value chain, exchange of farmers friendly policy formulation and capacity building.
Following the formalization of this partnership, IFPRI conducted a three-day training program on Economic Analysis at the BIMSTEC Secretariat in Dhaka in July 2023. Subsequently, from October 9 to 11, IFPRI and the BIMSTEC Secretariat organized a Capacity Development Programme in Paro, Bhutan.
Related link :