Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Chakrapani Khanal has urged the Government of the People’s Republic of China to increase the quota for Nepali students going to study agriculture in Chinese universities.
He said this in a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Hou Yanqi who had gone to pay a courtesy call at his office in Singha Durbar Thursday. The minister placed this request in the context of less number of Nepali students going to China to study agriculture in recent days.
Minister Khanal expressed the confidence that increasing the number of Nepali students going to study in Chinese universities would decrease the number of youths going for foreign employment, which, in turn, would support agriculture, the Minister’s secretariat has stated.
He believed that study and training on the agricultural implements and agriculture in China would be fruitful as the agriculture tools used in the hilly and mountainous districts of Nepal are China-made.
The Agriculture and Livestock Development Minister also urged China to make provision for modern agriculture training to Nepali farmers, recalling that Nepal and China have agreed on December 19 for cooperation in the agricultural research and technology expansion.
It has been agreed to take a total 60 Nepali farmers and technical employees to China for training and to train 240 other farmers in Nepal itself for the project.
Minister Khanal has also proposed forming a task force for exchange of cooperation in the agriculture sector by maintaining coordination among the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of China.
In reply, Ambassador Hou said that China was ready for an agreement on this matter as proposed by Nepal by holding further discussions.
Stating that Nepal and China have cordial relations since long time, she pledged to take this relation to a new height during her term.
Ambassador Hou said China has taken a leap in agriculture and technology, expressing the belief that this development and skill would be fruitful to Nepal also, in its capacity as a good neighbor.
