Nepal to establish SAARC Food Centre

Nepal has proposed to establish South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) level Food Bank to minimise the problem of food scarcity at the 44th annual meeting of Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Taking part in the ministerial meeting of SAARC region, revenue secretary Krishna Hari Baskota expressed serious concern over the human resource crunch in the SAARC region, according to a statement issued by the Finance Minitry. “Youths have been deviating from agriculture,” Baskota said in the meeting, adding that the government of SAARC countries should introduce the programme to encourage farmers for enhanced agricultural productivity.
Similarly, Baskota stressed on the effective operation of Fulbari-Banglabandh Marg, the only land route of trading with Bangladesh, during the meeting of South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC). “Nepal should get the privileges of land-locked country as per the international norms in the regional trade and business,” the statement said Baskota as saying in the meeting.
“Nepal should be incorporated in the road link network among India, Bangaladesh and Bhutan,” he said in the meeting. He also emphasised on the need of including Nepal in the railway connection with other South Asia countries. According to the press release he requested the ADB to construct an international Airport at the Chandragadi of Jhapa to ease the trade in Nepal.
Meanwhile, Nepal has been elected vice-chair of Asian Development Bank (ADB) for its 45th annual meeting which is going to be held at Manila, Philippines in 2012. ADB on May 6 concluded the 44th Annual Meeting of its Board of Governors in Hanoi, Vietnam and announced that the 2012 meeting would take place in Manila, Philippines.
Key issues at this year’s meeting included soaring food and fuel prices, infrastructure and connectivity, and climate change as well as how Asia and the Pacific can ensure a prosperous future in coming decades, according to ADB.