BIMSTEC-IFPRI CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

Inclusive Agricultural Transformation with Climate Change in BIMSTEC Countries

A three-day program including a capacity development workshop and conference was organized by BIMSTEC, IFPRI and the Department of Environment and Climate Change, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (MoENR), Royal Government of Bhutan from October 9 to 11, 2023 in Paro, Bhutan

The conference was inaugurated by H.E. Lyonpo Tandi Dorji, Minister of Foreign Affairs & External Trade of the Royal Government of Bhutan. The Secretary General of BIMSTEC, H.E. Mr. Tenzin Lekphell, Director-IFPRI South Asia, Dr. Shahidur Rashid, senior officials from international organizations and the BIMSTEC Member States, as well as officials of the BIMSTEC Secretariat participated in the program.

The capacity development program focused on enhancing understanding on environment and climate change and its impacts, food security in the region, carbon trading, and the global environmental regime. The conference saw deliberations on climate vulnerability, climate markets and actions, adaptation, mitigation, green climate fund and food security. Both the conference and the capacity development program brought together more than seventy participants and regional academic specialists, as well as experts and officials from BIMSTEC Member States and international institutions dealing with environmental and climate change issues.

In March 2023, BIMSTEC and IFPRI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Dhaka to strengthen collaboration in areas of mutual interest. The MoU aims to facilitate technical cooperation, drawing upon both organizations’ mandate, competence, and areas of expertise. This program was one of the activities to take this partnership forward.