Md. Abul Bashar:SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC), Bangladesh, brought together heads and senior representatives of national and international organizations at a coordination meeting on Saturday (29 August 2026) to explore opportunities for joint programs and partnerships for 2027.

The meeting, titled Coordination Meeting with Partner Organizations on SAC’s Programs for 2027, was held at the SAC office in Dhaka. Representatives from organizations working in agriculture, food systems, rural development, livestock, fisheries, environment and community development attended the meeting. The meeting aimed to identify common areas of interest and explore potential collaborative initiatives between SAC and its partner organizations for implementation in 2027.

Director of SAC, Dr. Md. Harunur Rashid, chaired the meeting. In his remarks, he emphasized the importance of stronger partnerships between SAC and relevant organizations to address emerging challenges in South Asian agriculture and food systems. He said that collaboration, knowledge exchange and joint implementation of programs can help translate innovative ideas and good practices into meaningful outcomes for farming and rural communities across the SAARC region. 

Representatives from Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition Bangladesh, Heifer International Bangladesh, HarvestPlus, Sustainable Agriculture Foundation Bangladesh, ACI, Spectra Hexa Feeds Ltd, RSB Properties Ltd, SHISUK, WAVE Foundation, Gram Unnayan Karma (GUK), Welthungerhilfe (WHH), TMSS, Climate Action Network South Asia, Fishtech Hatchery, Root Agrovet, Shushilan and Niribili Group, among others, participated in the meeting. 

The discussions focused on identifying areas of common interest and developing potential joint programs and collaborative initiatives for 2027. Participants shared their organizational priorities, expertise and ongoing activities and discussed possibilities for cooperation in sustainable agriculture, agroecology, food and nutrition security, climate resilience, livestock and fisheries development, value chains, rural livelihoods, capacity building and knowledge sharing. 

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen institutional partnerships and explore practical collaborative initiatives that can contribute to sustainable and resilient agri-food systems in SAARC Member States.