China to work with Nepal on its agriculture sector

KATHMANDU -- In a bid to speed up farm commercialization in Nepal, two agriculture Ministries of Nepal and China inked a five-point agreement during third bilateral Nepal-China Agriculture Assistance meeting held in Kathmandu on Monday.

A press statement issued after completion of the meeting stated that Agriculture Ministry of People's Republic of China has agreed to develop Nepal's agricultural in applying modern technology in livestock farming, fisheries and agriculture that are based in hilly region of Nepal.

Eight-member delegation team led by Chinese Vice-Minister Niu Dun of Agriculture Ministry arrived in Nepal on Sunday and signed the agreement with Dr. Ganesh Raj Joshi, secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Development of Nepal.

The bilateral meeting of Nepal-China Agricultural Assistance meeting is being held in every two years. The next fourth bilateral meeting is scheduled to take place in Beijing in 2014.

Dr. Pravkar Pathak, joint secretary and spokesperson at the Ministry of Agriculture said that the agreement was also reached to begin joint agriculture research works the sector of horticulture, cultivation of cereal crops, poultry, pig farming and seeds productions of maize.

The agreement was also reached between two countries to expand and strengthen the current quarantine process at customs points while exporting Nepali agro-products, said Pathak.

Pathak said the China was seen more positive in carrying out program relating to reducing diseases that affected both plants and animals.

"China agriculture ministry most importantly agreed to develop more qualitative human resources in Nepal in the days ahead after they agreed to enroll Nepali technical teams in China's various agriculture training centres so as to exchange knowledge and ideas, " said Pathak.

The Ministry of Agriculture Development has decided to form a five-member task force led by joint-secretary of the Ministry to prepare details working plan and its proper implementations.