• India and Nepal signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in agriculture, replacing a previous agreement from December 1991.

• The agreement was finalised following bilateral talks between India’s Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Nepal’s Ramnath Adhikari on the sidelines of the 3rd BIMSTEC Ministerial meeting in Kathmandu.

• The ministers reviewed bilateral cooperation in the field of agriculture and discussed ways to further enhance collaboration for mutual benefit of both nations.

• The agreement aims to promote cooperation between both countries in areas such as agricultural science and technology, agricultural production, crop production, agricultural trade and marketing, plant protection and market access, horticulture, integrated farming systems, micro irrigation, natural resource management, organic farming, bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides, post-harvest management, climate resilient & sustainable agriculture. 

• Both sides discussed plans to convene Joint Agriculture Working Group (JAWG) meetings under the new agreement and enhance cooperation between the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC).

• They also reviewed progress on India's proposal to establish an Agro-Industrial Park in Chitwan and agricultural projects under India’s High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP) in Nepal.

• The agreement was signed in supersession of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between both countries for agricultural cooperation on December 6, 1991.

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