On 21 May 2025, DG CIRDAP, H.E. Dr. P. Chandra Shekara, paid a courtesy visit to Excellency Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, Chairperson of the CIRDAP General Council and Honorable Adviser, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development & Cooperatives, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.During the meeting, they discussed CIRDAP’s ongoing activities and future directions to enhance regional cooperation in rural development. The exchange reaffirmed CIRDAP’s commitment to inclusive, sustainable growth across its member countries through strategic partnerships and shared goals. #CIRDAP #RuralDevelopment #RegionalCooperation

CIRDAP -The Local Development Training Academy (LDTA), Nepal under the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFAGA), Government of Nepal, organized the third event of CIRDAP’s project titled “Capacity Development of Elected Representatives and Officials to Implement Gender Responsive Budget (GRB) at Selected Local Governments in Nepal” at Gramthan Rural Municipality, Morang, Koshi Province, Nepal, from 8 to 9 May 2025. A total of 35 representatives participated in the training program, including 14 women and 21 men. Among them, 19 were elected representatives, and 16 were rural municipal staff. The GRB training program was addressed by Mr. Kanunlal Chaudhary, Executive Director of the Local Development Training Academy ( LDTA ), NepaL & coordinated by Mr. Jaya Krishna Shrestha, Director, LDTA, Nepal.

CIRDAP is proud to have participated in the 7th International Scientific Conference on Food Safety and Health (ISCFSH), hosted by the Bangladesh Society for Safe Food (BSSF), convened on May 10, 2025, at the BARC Auditorium in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The inaugural session was graced by Farida Akhter, Honourable Adviser to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock of Bangladesh, as the Chief Guest. The keynote address was delivered by HE. Dr. P. Chandra Shekara, Director General of the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP), focused on the urgent theme of “Climate-Resilient Food Security and Safety.” Emphasizing the urgent need to adapt our food systems to climate change, Dr. Shekara highlighted climate-smart agriculture, integrated farming, social safety nets, community-based solutions, and eco-friendly enterprises as key pathways forward. With agriculture at the heart of Bangladesh’s economy and food security, CIRDAP calls for stronger partnerships, increased investment in R&D, and greater farmer empowerment to build a sustainable, climate-resilient future.  The conference was organised by Dr. Mohammad Sorwar Jahan, General Secretary of BSSF and Dr.Khaled Hossain, President, BSSF. The event brought together national and international experts, researchers, academicians, policymakers, and stakeholders to address the pressing challenges posed by climate change on food systems. #FoodSecurity #ClimateResilience #Bangladesh #CIRDAP #Agriculture #ISCFSH

An invitation to our next exciting webinar of the CIRDAP Knowledge (webinar) Series 2025 titled ‘’Secondary Agriculture: How to make a beginning – Policies, Programmes and innovations’Date and Time: Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 11 am (Astana, Dhaka) Bangladesh time HONORABLE SPEAKERDr. Ashok Dalwai,Agriculture ExpertChairman, Prime Minister Committee on Doubling of Farmers’ Income,Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India.IAS Officer (Retd.) To join the webinar https://zoom.us/j/93682735582?pwd=t7BDZby9VCs5Y3p1fWkMdPaYraO9yA.1 Meeting ID: 936 8273 5582Passcode: 019790

🌐 CIRDAP Knowledge Circuit Begins with NIRD&PR: A Cross-Learning Journey in Rural Development 🌱 We are thrilled to launch the CIRDAP Knowledge Circuit—a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange and shared learning among our member countries! Our first stop is a special webinar hosted in collaboration with the National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR), Hyderabad, India—a globally renowned institution in rural development and a pioneer Link Institute of CIRDAP. 📌 Webinar DetailsTopic: Institutional Innovations in Rural Development: Policies to Practices – Learnings Honorable Speaker: Dr. G. Narendra Kumar, IAS, Director General, NIRD&PR Date: April 24, 2025Time:• 12:00 PM Bangladesh Time• 11:30 AM India Time Interested people can join. Here are the Zoom details:🔗 Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/99530433536?pwd=lahDXTb3amCAB4nw2VaXaZxXCxhyji.1📍 Meeting ID: 995 3043 3536🔑 Passcode: 175264 This exclusive webinar will spotlight:✔ The mission, mandate & structure of NIRD&PR✔ Key programmes and innovations in Integrated Rural Development✔ An engaging discussion with Heads of Link Institutions & TC 💡 The session will pave the way for a study-cum-exposure visit to NIRD&PR by the Heads of CIRDAP Link Institutions, fostering deeper collaboration and learning. 📢 Let’s build bridges of knowledge across borders!

On the occasion of the International Nutrition Olympiad 2025 (April 24-25, 2025), CIRDAP in collaboration with Bangladesh Institute of ICT in Development (BIID) and iECHO Platform, Project ECHO University of New Mexico is going to organize a significant webinar titled ‘Financing for Nutrition in Asia: Current Trends and Way Forward’. The webinar is going to be held on April 17, 2025.   Here are the details of the webinar below: Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025.Time: 11:00 AM Bangladesh Time | 12:00 PM Thailand TimePlatform: iECHO PlatformDuration: 1 hour Honorable Speaker:Lalita Bhattacharjee, PhD Consultant, Results for Development (R4D)Nutrition Advisor, Nutrition Development Foundation Thailand, Senior Nutritionist, FAO -UN (Retd). Registration link: https://iecho.org/public/program/PRGM17442631705968DCUQ5TWGO Please register the above link for attending the webinar. You need to do only one-time registration and it will take only a few minutes. If you have any query, please email Ms. Hurain Jannat, Communication Officer at communication_officer@cirdap.org. To know more about the the International Nutrition Olympiad 2025, you may visit: https://nutritionolympiad.net/