Apr 09, Kathmandu- Minister of Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Rural Development of India, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, is on an official visit to Nepal from 08-10 April 2025 to participate in the 3rd Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture (3rd BAMM) hosted by Nepal on 09 April 2025, in Kathmandu.

Over the past decade, BIMSTEC has emerged as a significant forum for promoting regional development, connectivity and economic progress in the Bay of Bengal region. “Agriculture and Food Security” is one of the BIMSTEC core areas of cooperation. This was the third meeting of BAMM, the highest decision-making body shaping regional agricultural cooperation. The 1st BAMM took place in Myanmar on 12 July 2019, followed by the 2nd BAMM in India on 10 November 2022. During the 3rd BAMM, the Agriculture Ministers deliberated on ways and means to infuse greater momentum to the BIMSTEC agriculture sector including fisheries and livestock cooperation.

During the course of his visit, India’s Minister of Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Rural Development also held a bilateral meeting with his counterpart, the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development of Nepal, on 9 April 2025. He congratulated his counterpart for successfully hosting the 3rd BAMM. The Ministers reviewed the progress made in various bilateral initiatives and developmental projects in the field of agriculture and discussed opportunities for further collaboration.

Both Ministers also signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Government of Nepal, on Cooperation in the Field of Agriculture in Kathmandu on 09 April 2025.  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. The agreement was signed in supersession of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between both countries for agricultural cooperation on 6 December 1991.

India’s Minister of Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Rural Development called on Prime Minister of Nepal, K.P. Sharma Oli on 09 April 2025. He conveyed to him greetings from the leadership in India and discussed the close and friendly relations between India and Nepal which are deeply rooted in historical, cultural, civilizational and people-to-people ties. Ways to further strengthen India-Nepal cooperation in various segments of agriculture were also discussed.

The visit of the Minister of Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Rural Development of India to Nepal to participate in the 3rd BAMM and hold other key bilateral engagements has continued the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and helped in advancing our bilateral and regional ties further, especially in the area of agriculture and related fields.