NEW DELHI: The Second International Rice Congress adopted a five-point Agenda and an eight-point Delhi Declaration at the second Asian Ministers' Roundtable chaired by India here on Tuesday. Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar presided over the meeting attended by the Agriculture Ministers of Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Nepal and the Vice Agriculture Ministers of China and Laos. Pakistan was represented by its minister (trade) in the New Delhi High Commission.

The agenda was unanimously adopted after the inclusion of a Pakistan suggestion on Intellectual Property Rights. The Philippines' plea for a nodal role for the Manila-based International Rice Research Institute was also accepted.

Senior Pakistani trade diplomat Fazal Abbas Maken sought inclusion of the issue of Intellectual Property Rights "and native breeds so that each party was clear about its rights and prerogatives." Earlier he said India's notification approving super basmati rice as its exportable variety caused "concern" in Pakistan.

Islamabad was not in favour of genetically modified rice. In the context of restrictions imposed by developed countries on rice export from developing countries, he sought a joint research and development programme in biosafety, informatics and genomics.

China's Vice Agriculture Minister Zhang Baowen said successive growth in rice yield was the major reason for production increase in his country. More investment was made in farm infrastructure to improve production.

Sri Lanka Minister Maithripala Sirisena sought a regional mechanism and a platform to facilitate trading of surpluses. "Apart from regional approaches, such a platform should provide for facilitating bilateral arrangements on rice trade as well."

Mr. Pawar urged the participating countries to come closer and enhance their partnership to produce more from less resource. "Since Asian countries are major rice producing and consuming countries the need is to work together in partnership mode."

Mangala Rai, Director-General, Indian Council of Agriculture Research, said the Agenda was approved by 40 participating countries, which were signatories to it. The Agenda notes called for establishment of an Asian Rice Network for human resource development in critical areas; management of trans-boundary issues relating to pests and diseases; accreditation of laboratories for quality assessment of seeds and grain; and research in a system perspective.

Acknowledging that farmers were facing the challenge of producing more rice at less cost, the Delhi Declaration recognised that research and development needed to address the Millennium Development Goals on poverty alleviation, food and nutritional security and environmental conservation in partnership mode.

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