BD-Indonesia deal on modern farming cooperation soon
26 March 2023
Business Desk :
Bangladesh and Indonesia are all set to sign soon a deal on cooperation in adoption of good agricultural practices and boosting farming through technology transfer.
Officials said agriculture ministries of the two countries would sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for mutual cooperation in the field of agriculture and assisting direct contacts between economic entities of the two Asian nations.
The objective of the MoU is to provide cooperation framework in the field of agriculture between the two countries with a view to implementing mutually beneficial activities, they said.
The agriculture ministries of the two countries will, under the accord, promote adoption of good agricultural practices (GAP) and good handling practices (GHP), will work together in agro-food processing and exporting, storage facilities, product marketing and packaging skills.
Also, they will work on sanitary and phytosanitary measures, agricultural mechanisation, transfer of technologies and development, including exchange of scientific and technical information, food safety, and preparation and re-skilling of personnel.
Moreover, the two sides will work jointly on agricultural insurance and financial scheme, information and communication system technology (ICT) in agriculture (e-agriculture), and trade facilitation in agriculture.
According to draft of the proposed MoU the two countries will also exchange advance methods and technologies in agro-industrial production, provide technical assistance and work on capacity building, and jointly promote and organise agricultural fairs and exhibitions.
Among other functions packaged in the draft deal is exchange of information on scientific and economic events in the sphere of agriculture.
"A Bangladesh-Indonesia Joint Working Group (JWG) on agriculture will be formed to further the objectives stipulated in this MoU. The group will monitor, review, and provide recommendation on implementation of the cooperation," says one official.
The working group will meet once a year or mutually agreed time alternately in Bangladesh and Indonesia.
"Also, the group will coordinate and report its activities to the meeting of the joint commission on trade, economic and technical cooperation between the two countries," he said.
