Other SAARC mechanisms related to agriculture, rural development and food security
Under the aegis of Global Framework for Containment of Priority Trans-boundary Animal Diseases (GF-TADs), Highly Pathogenic and Emerging Diseases (HPED) project was implemented with financial support from the European Union. As stipulated in the project document, Regional Support Unit (RSU), Regional Epidemiology Center (REC), SAARC Epidemiological Network (SAARC EpiNet) Forum and SAARC Laboratory Directors’ Forum (SLDF) were created that have been working under umbrella of the RSU. A website of the project has been established (http://www.saarc-rsu-hped.org) and is regularly updated to share disease alerts in the region and other relevant material. The project activities are also being hosted on social media like Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/saarc.rsu.hped/info) and LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/company/regional-support-unit-for-hpeds/) for wider dissemination and impact.
To ensure the sustainability of the project achievement, a follow up project on SAARC Food Security through control of Trans-boundary Animal Diseases (TADs) with financial support from ADB has been being implemented with financial support of ADB and technical support of FAO.
SAARC Animal Disease Information System (SADIS) has lately been created under the follow up TADs project. Relevant SAARC Forums are now anxious on retaining the mechanisms and carrying on the activities beyond the ADB supported project completing in July 2017.
There have been directives from the Forty-second Standing Committee to incorporate RSU and REC in the SAARC Agriculture Centre. Also the SAARC Agriculture Ministers met in April 2016 recommended to sustain the mechanisms whereas the SAARC CVOs Forum is regularly pointing out their concerns over the issue. The Secretariat is of the view of creating optimum posts at the SAC in line with its previous directives on institutionalization/incorporation of the Regional Support Unit (RSU) and a Regional Epidemiology Centre (REC) as part of strengthening the mechanism of SAARC Agriculture Centre.
A SAARC-FAO Consultation on issues related to sustainability of the RSU and other mechanisms established under HPEDs and TADs projects held in Kathmandu on 9th March 2017 and second round of the consultation is expected take place in mid June 2017.