The SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC) hosted the inaugural ceremony of its 18th Governing Board (GB) Meeting in Dhaka on Tuesday (13 October 2026), bringing together representatives of SAARC Member States to strengthen regional cooperation in agriculture, food and nutrition security and climate resilience.
The meeting was held in a hybrid format, with Governing Board Members from Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives attending in person, while representatives from Bhutan, India and Pakistan joined virtually.
Ms Sabnam Shivakoti, Chairperson of the SAC Governing Board and representative of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal presided over the inaugural session. She highlighted the importance of food, feed and fibre in sustaining livelihoods across South Asia, noting that natural disasters and climate-related challenges increasingly threaten agricultural production and food and nutrition security. She called for collective regional action, recognizing SAC’s role as a regional centre of excellence in facilitating cooperation and developing shared agricultural solutions.
Mr Md. Salim Khan, Secretary of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Agriculture, attended as the Chief Guest. He emphasized the need to strengthen food and nutrition security amid growing climate-related challenges. He called for dynamic farming systems, sustainable agricultural management and stronger regional partnerships to address common concerns, including transboundary plant and animal diseases. He also underscored SAC’s role in promoting knowledge exchange and collaborative solutions for a sustainable and prosperous South Asia.
The ceremony was also attended by Special Guests Dr Md. Abdus Salam, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), and Mr Tanvir Ahmad Torophder, Director (ARD & SDF) at the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu, representing the Secretary-General of SAARC. Dr Salam highlighted biodiversity loss and shared agricultural challenges across the region, stressing the importance of regional cooperation, low-carbon agricultural production and sustainable agricultural and economic growth.
Mr. Torophder emphasized the importance of food and nutrition security and building a climate-resilient South Asia. He also highlighted increasing pressure on agricultural land and called for sustainable farming practices and regional cooperation to safeguard food security for future generations.
Dr Md. Golam Mahboob, Director of SAC, reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to strengthening agricultural cooperation among SAARC Member States through collaborative research, knowledge sharing, capacity building and the exchange of agricultural technologies and best practices. He highlighted the importance of regional partnerships in advancing sustainable agricultural development and building resilient food systems.
