Nepal to Organize Convention on Resilient Food Systems on April 24-25

Over 100 delegates from SAP-LING member nations- Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Bhutan, and Nepal-will debate regional collaboration and develop consensus for enhancing South Asia's food systems and nutrition.

The National Planning Commission is co-hosting the event with BRAC Bangladesh, the current SAPLING Secretariat and the world's largest non-governmental development organization, IPE Global Limited, an Indian development sector think and do tank, and the Institute for Integrated Development Studies, Nepal, headquartered in Kathmandu.

According to a press release by SAPLING, the Dhaka Food Systems Dialogue in December 2022 focused on unbundling three subject areas, namely climate-smart food systems, lowering post-harvest losses, and food safety standards, as potential levers for regional collaboration.

The discussions emphasized the importance of technology collaboration and transfer, developing knowledge systems, and encouraging cross-border private sector investments as regional cooperation levers. The gathering in Kathmandu will refine the three levers for constructing resilient food systems in South Asia.

The Nepal food systems convention will bring together experts from research and academic institutions, civic society, the commercial sector, bilateral and multilateral organizations, and philanthropies.

The event will also include a high-level inter-governmental policy round table with government members from the National Planning Commission, Bhutan's and Sri Lanka's Ministries of Agriculture, and the Indian High Commission in Nepal and Bangladesh.

SAPLING seeks to build consensus among the five South Asian countries by including evidence-based policy, action, and leadership.