A two-day policy round-table meeting on effective implementation of the Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) among SAARC Member States kicked off in Kathmandu on Wednesday.

SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC) and IRRI South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC) have jointly organised the meeting.

The MTA was supposed to govern and facilitate the process of transferring seeds, planting materials and other promising biological materials among the SAARC Member States ensuring that the rights, responsibilities, and potential benefits are clearly defined for both the providers and the recipients of the materials.

The meeting holds particular significance as deliberations will focus on various aspects of the implementation of the MTA among the SAARC Member States including existing policy challenges and future pathways.

Speaking at the inaugural session, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Ramnath Adhikari said that effective and expeditious implementation of the MTA is key to facilitating cross-border material exchanges, and promote innovation and invention in agricultural science. "South Asia is home to nearly a quarter of the global population and embodies cultural diversities, rich civilisational values, abundant natural resources and glorious history. Agriculture is a mainstay of economy, and livelihood of millions of people in the region," he said.

However, it is very concerning that innovation and transformation in the agro-food sector have not witnessed desirable progress in the region, he said.

"Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) provides a foundational basis for cooperation, collaboration and research among ourselves. This Agreement plays a crucial role in ensuring access for the researchers to essential resources and helping them transform their new ideas into useful innovations for communities and nations," he said.

Recalling the SAARC Member States agreed to establish the SAARC Seed Bank in 2011 to address the pressing challenge of regional food security through a collaborative approach, he said that the core objective of this Seed Bank is to forge pragmatic cooperation among our fellow Member States to ensure easy accessibility and availability of quality seeds of major food crops in the region. The Material Transfer Agreement constitutes an important element of the SAARC Seed Bank.

There will be positive and far-reaching impacts on scientific progress, protection of intellectual property rights and ethical management of common means and resources, he said.

"On the flipside, these legal frameworks are not without challenges and problems. It is challenging for us to make these agreements just, fair and equally beneficial to meet the needs of all relevant stakeholders," said Minister Adhikari.