Nepal’s Minister for Agricultural Development commends ICARDA’s contributions
In a recent meeting with Dr. Mahmoud Solh, ICARDA’s Director General, on 28th February 2016, His Excellency, Honorable Minister for Agricultural Development in Nepal, Mr. Haribol Prasad Gajurel, commended ICARDA’s contribution to Nepal’s agriculture, most particularly in pulses research and development. “A vast majority of our population relies on pulses. ICARDA’s contribution to lentil variety development and measures to promote adoption among farmers has led to nutritional security,” he said.
ICARDA’s South Asia & China regional Program works closely with Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC) in collaboration with its various research institutes. The minister applauded this collaboration and called for its further strengthening. He shared a document on Nepal’s recent agricultural strategy.
Dr. Solh affirmed ICARDA’s firm commitment to R&D on pulses, barley, wheat, feed and fodder, and emphasized the role of system research specific to diverse agro-ecology for the benefit of Nepalese farmers. Dr. Y R Pandey, Executive Director of Nepal Agricultural Research Council, and Dr. Ashutosh Sarker, Regional Coordinator of ICARDA’s South Asia and China regional Program also participated in the meeting.