AS PART of their efforts to promote agriculture and exchange agricultural research between the two countries, India and Nepal signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Adalpura, about 25 Kilometres from here late on Tuesday night.
The MoU was signed by Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Dr Mangla Rai and his Nepali counterpart Dr R P Saha on the sprawling lawns of the Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR) in Adalpura in Mirzapur district late last night.The two countries inked the MoU in the presence of top agricultural experts from different parts of the world, who had converged here to participate in the 12th Regional Steering Commitee meeting of the Rice-Wheat Consortium for Indo-Gangetic plains.
“Under the MoU, agricultural experts from both India and Nepal can undertake research work in agriculture in different agricultural institutes in both the countries”, Dr Rai told reporters.
Rai said the two countries reached a consensus on different agricultural issues in the last science congress in Hyderabad in view of the similarities in the agricultual scenario in both the countries and it was decided to ink the MoU during the 12th Regional Steering Committee meet of the Rice-Wheat Consortum for Indo-Gangetic Plains in IIVR for further advancement in the field in both the countries.
“ As per the MoU, 12 agricultural scientists of Nepal will do research in Indian agricultural institutes of their choice in 2006 on different subjects like pesticide management, post-harvest management, bio-matrics etc whereas eight other experts will be allowed to do research in the field in India in 2007”, the DG ICAR said while describing the highlights of the MoU.
{{/usCountry}}“ As per the MoU, 12 agricultural scientists of Nepal will do research in Indian agricultural institutes of their choice in 2006 on different subjects like pesticide management, post-harvest management, bio-matrics etc whereas eight other experts will be allowed to do research in the field in India in 2007”, the DG ICAR said while describing the highlights of the MoU.
{{/usCountry}}Similarly, he said three agricultural experts from India would be allowed to go in for research in agriculture, especially on latest agricultral techniques adopted in Nepal, in 2006. Besides, he said some Nepali agricultural students would be granted admission to some agricultural institutes of India.Among those present on the occasion were Dr Masa Iwanaga, Director General of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre, Dr MI Tasneem, DG Agriculture, Pakistan, Dr Thomas Lumpkin, DG, AVRDC Taiwan and Dr Robert Ziegler of the International Rice Research Institute, The Phillipines.s