CIMMYT Nepal visited by the DG of CIMMYT

Dr. Thomas Lumpkin, Director General of CIMMYT visited Nepal during 1-3 of May 2012. One of the main objectives of his visit was to discuss with NARC and CIMMYT scientists the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA) launched last year in India, and the potential for Nepal to follow a similar model in the country. Dr. Lumpkin also had fruitful technical and

administrative discussions with CIMMYT international and national staff based in Kathmandu. Together with several Directors of NARC, including Dr. Tek Bahadur Gurung (Director of Administration and Interim Executive Director of NARC), Dr. B. N. Mahto (Director of Planning and Coordination), and Dr. Neeranjan Adhikari (Director of Crops and Horticulture), he visited three potential sites/locations in Khumaltar (NARC research station located in the outskirts of Kathmandu) where the main administrative building, as well as the training and research facilities, could be based. Dr. Ortiz Ferrara (CIMMYT’s CLO) and Mr. Surath Pradhan (CIMMYT-Nepal Office Manager) also joined the site visit.

“CIMMYT is interested in expanding the crop improvement and crop management systems research and development activities being conducted in collaboration with the MoAC, NARC and all the other partners who have been associated with CIMMYT in Nepal for more than 40 years. We look forward to a Nepal BISA that can enable CIMMYT and its partners to deliver greater impact toward the food security in the country”, said Dr. Lumpkin. On behalf of the ED of NARC, Dr. Tek Bahadur Gurung expressed NARC’s interest and unconditional support to make the Nepal BISA a reality. NARC Management, the CIMMYT CLO and other senior CIMMYT IRS based in Nepal, will soon sit together to develop a strategy and start the process of designing and implementing BISA Nepal. On the second day of his visit, Dr. Lumpkin was invited to deliver a lecture at the Nepal Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) with the topic “Food Security in South Asia: Opportunities and Challenges for Agro-eco-scientists”. More than 50 scientists of NARC and NARI attended the lecture which generated a lot of interest and a lively discussion. Coinciding with the visit to Khumaltar, Dr. Lumpkin was invited to inaugurate a sports event organized by NARC. The ceremony started by him making the first serve in a volley ball tournament. “Not a bad serve for a person who travels more than 200 days a year” his CIMMYT colleagues commented.