The South-South Cooperation Forum held at Park Village Hotel, Kathmandu, Nepal on 14-16 December 2017 was a success with over 70 participants consisting of farmer leaders, representatives of farmers’ and fishers’ organizations, government officials, scholars from South Asian countries as well as international development partners in attendance.

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Secretary General Amjad Hussain B. Sial graced the event and officially opened the forum by leading the panash, a ceremonial lighting of a traditional Nepali lamp. In his speech, SecGen Sial thanked the organizers for bringing in representatives from government, non-government entities, and international organizations for such an important forum. He stressed that the presence of all the participants is a testimony to their commitment to promote sustainable agriculture. He noted that the forum is significant for SAARC because sustainable farming is among its priorities.