The Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) in collaboration with the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD) organized a five day-long Exposure Visit-cum-Training Programme in India for Bangladeshi Student Delegation during 02-06 January 2018. The delegation was comprised of a total of 20 students from top leading public and private universities of Bangladesh. The objectives of the programme were to create an international perspective among the youth against the backdrop of the national youth policy objectives, inter-alia; involve them in promoting peace and development understanding in the society; and promote exchanging of ideas, values and culture as well as to develop international understanding among the youth of Bangladesh and India. The programme started with an inauguration programme, where Prof. Madan Mohan Goel, Director of RGNIYD graced the occasion as Chief Guest. Prof. Dr. Vasanthi Rajendran, Head, Centre for National and International Collaboration, RGNIYD welcomed the guests and described the programme brief. CIRDAP’s Coordinator of the Programme, Mr. Mohammad Abu Saleh Siddique handed over the CIRDAP Crest and a set of recent CIRDAP publications to Mr. Goel on behalf of the Director General of CIRDAP. In his speech, Mr. Siddique expressing gratitude and thanks to the RGNIYD authority for their support and cooperation, hoped and expected that these kinds of support and cooperation of RGNIYD will be continued in the days to come. Welcoming the Bangladeshi Student Delegation and CIRDAP Representative to India, Mr. Goel mentioned that the peace in every head and heart (consumer, producer, distributor and trader) is necessary and sufficient to say no to stress, tensions and fear. He said that for employability of youth, we need to increase return on training investment (ROTI) with communication skills, time management and spiritual input along with abilities of head and heart, skills and knowledge. “Let the youth be motivated to think ‘out of the box’ solutions of their problems in present times of competition which is unhealthy also” added by Professor Goel. On the first day of the programme, presentations were made on RGNIYD, National Youth Policy 2014 and India Youth Development Index 2017 by Prof. Dr. Vasanthi Rajendran; on Life Skills by Dr. Kumaravel, Assistant Professor, RGNIYD, and on ‘CIRDAP – A Centre of Excellence’ by Mr. Saleh Siddique. Later, exposure visits were started with the orientation on Community Radio and Central Library of RGNIYD. During the stay in RGNIYD, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, the student delegation visited to the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial; Kuthambakkam Village Panchayat (a model village which is renowned for the role of youth participation in village development and panchayat system, Trust for Village Self Governance as well as Self-sufficiency practice); Government College of Architecture and Sculpture at Mamallapuram; Cultural and Heritage Centres at Mahabalipuram including Krishna’s Butter Ball, Sea Shore Temple and Mahabalipuram Beach; Electronic and Multimedia Research Centre under Anna University  (wherein the students had the opportunity to know about the Production of Multi-media Learning Material, E-Learning Content and Community, and Campus Radio Activities); M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (i.e. Centre for Research on Sustainable Agricultural and Rural Development); Marina Sea Beach; Tidel Park – One of the largest IT parks in Asia; Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust – A Mentoring Young Entrepreneurs); and Dakshina Chitra – A Living-History Museum in Tamil Nadu.

The Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP), in collaboration with SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC), Dhaka, organized a Regional Workshop on Community based Non-wood Forest Product Enterprise Development:  A sustainable business model during 24-26 August 2017 in Thimphu, Bhutan. Through this expert consultation, CIRDAP and SAC aimed to develop a regional project to be implemented in the region for the hilly population in South Asia, Southeast Asia and Pacific countries, Experts from seven SAARC Countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh. Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan) and three Southeast Asian Countries (Lao PDR, Myanmar and Philippines) and Fiji Islands from Pacific Countries participated in the Workshop. The Workshop was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Secretary, Ministry of Agricultural Development, Royal Government of Bhutan on 24 August 2017 at a Local Hotel at Thimpu. The workshop came up with several recommendations including the issues to be covered in the regional initiatives

The three-day-long 32nd Technical Committee (TC-32) meeting of CIRDAP was held during 3-5 May 2017 at Bangladesh Academy of Rural Development (BARD), Comilla, Bangladesh. This year BARD, the Link Institute of CIRDAP in Bangladesh, is hosting the meeting on behalf of Government of Bangladesh. H.E. Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, MP, Hon’ble Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD&C), Government of People’s Republic of Bangladesh inaugurated the Meeting as Chief Guest on 3rd May, 2017. The Meeting was chaired by Mr. Muhammad Maududur Rashid Safdar, Director General of BARD, where Mr. Ananda Chanrda Biswas, Secretary In-charge of Rural Development and Cooperative Division (RDCD), Ministry of LGRD&C attended as Special Guest. In his address, Hon’ble Minister stressed that rural development has become a core agendum that touches the premises of most of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of United Nations. He urged that CIRDAP Member Countries should work closely with its Secretariat to have collaborative efforts for poverty alleviation and rural development in the region. CIRDAP will also be able to understand the development need of its member countries and work as a center of excellence for people-centric and inclusive development. The Secretary In-charge (RDCD) Mr. Biswas highlighted the importance of exchange of views, ideas and expertise in different fields of rural development among the link Institutions of CIRDAP. CIRDAP Director General Mr. Tevita G. Boseiwaqa Taginavulau while welcoming the participants expressed his warm thanks to BARD for hosting the meeting on behalf of Bangladesh, and mentioned that Bangladesh has become a role model for development globally. Ms. Aziza Binti Ahmed, the outgoing Chairperson of CIRDAP Technical Committee [TC-31] expressed gratitude to Bangladesh for warm hospitality. DG BARD, Chairperson of the inaugural session, expressed his commitment for poverty alleviation and rural development. He assured that BARD will continue working with CIRDAP and its member countries. In the meeting, several agenda were discussed in the Technical Sessions. In these sessions, delegates from CIRDAP member countries shared their experiences and innovative initiatives on rural development. On 06 May 2017, field visit was organized for all the participants to the Comprehensive Village Development Programme (CVDP) and ‘One House One Farm’ project area in Comilla, Bangladesh.