Policy Analysis and
Advisory Network for South Asia (PAANSA) Meeting

RIS hosted the Meeting of the Policy Analysis and Advisory Network for South Asia (PAANSA), set up by IFPRI organized in conjunction with the ADB Inception Workshop for RETA: Seventh Agriculture and Natural Resources Research at International Agricultural Research Centres on Poverty Reduction Through Advisory Network Policy Research and Capacity Strengthening in South Asia held in New Delhi on August 5, 2003. The meeting commenced with welcome remarks by Dr. Nagesh Kumar, Director-General, RIS. The first two sessions on The South Asia

Initiative (SAI): Its Mission and Outcomes, and Capacity Strengthening Efforts of SAI: Accomplishments had presentations by Dr. Ashok Gulati, Division Director, IFPRI; Dr. Suresh Babu, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI and Dr. Paul Heytens of ADB.

The third session addressed the theme of Policy Dialogue on South Asia's Priority Issues for Achieving Food Security: Selective Studies in Progress and Plans for New Studies and was chaired by Dr. Suresh Babu. In this session presentations were made by Prof. G.K. Chadha, Vice Chancellor, JNU; Prof. Herath Gunasena, Executive Director, Sri Lanka, Council for Agricultural Research and Policy; Dr. Sarfraz Khan Qureshi of Planning and Development Division, Government of Pakishan; Dr. Devendra Chhetry of Tribhuvan University, Nepal; Prof. M.A. Sattar Mandal of Bangladesh Agricultural University; and Dr. Chime P. Wangdi of Ministry of Agriculture, Bhutan.

The fourth session, chaired by Dr. Ashok Gulati, was devoted to presentation of SAI Work Plan Under this RETA: Schedule of Activities, Key Milestones, and Performance Indicators by Dr. Suresh Babu. After detailed discussion, the session approved the work programme and meeting concluded with the closing remarks by Dr. Ashok Gulati.