CIRDAP e-News

August -September 2015

Twentieth Regular Meeting of CIRDAP Governing Council (GC-20)

Group phototograph of participants of 20th regular meeting of CIRDAP Governer Council in Fiji

The Regular Twentieth Meeting of the CIRDAP Governing Council was held in Hotel Tanoa International, Nadi, Fiji on
20 August 2015. Delegates from all the CIRDAP Member Countries (CMCs) except Myanmar and Sri Lanka attended
the Meeting. The inaugural session of the meeting was held on 20 August 2015 in the Tanoa Hotel premises. H.E.
Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, the President of the Republic of Fiji was the Chief Guest. The inaugural programme began with
the ceremonial rituals of Fiji to receive the Chief Guest and the Honourable Delegates of the CIRDAP Member
Countries. After the ceremonial functions, H.E. the President of Fiji delivered an inspiring speech and gave guidance
to CIRDAP to play a significant role for the benefit of the member countries. The business session followed the
inaugural session where agendas were discussed and recommendations were suggested. The Honble GC Members
made presentations on their country statements focused on rural development.
Thirtieth Regular Meeting of CIRDAP Executive Committee
The Thirtieth Regular Meeting of the Centre on
Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the
Pacific (CIRDAP) Executive Committee was held
on 17-18 August 2015 in Tanoa International
Hotel, Nadi, Fiji. Delegates from all the CIRDAP
Member-Countries (CMCs) except Myanmar and
Sri Lanka attended the meeting. Likewise,
observers from FAO-Samoa, IPA, TFNet,
SEARCA and representatives from different
national and international development agencies
were also present during the inaugural session.
The business session was followed by the
inaugural session where agendas were discussed
Group photo of 30th Regular Meeting CIRDAP Executive Committee in Fiji
and recommendations were suggested.
Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP)
Chameli House, 17 Topkhana Road, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh.
web: www.cirdap.org, www.inford.org

Regional Policy Dialogue of CIRDAP (RPD-7), Fiji, 19 August, 2015

A snapshot of the 7th Regional Policy Dialogue

The Seventh Regional Policy Dialogue on the theme An Outlook on Rural Income and Poverty Alleviation in Asia and
the Pacific and International Workshop on Climate Change was organised at Hotel Tanoa International in Nadi, Fiji on
August 19, 2015 coinciding with the Thirtieth Executive Committee and Twentieth Governing Council Meeting of
CIRDAP. The purpose of the Regional Policy Dialogue was to engage the policy bodies of CIRDAP in deliberations on
emerging policy issues on rural development and poverty alleviation and addressing them through regional
cooperation among CIRDAP Member Countries. The dialogue was organised by the CIRDAP in collaboration with the
Ministry of Agriculture, Rural & Maritime Development, Government of Fiji. The objective of this dialogue was to
disseminate the study findings on Efficacy of Initiatives on Rural Income and Poverty Alleviation: Way
Forwardconducted during 2014-2015 biennium following the suggestion of the 29th CIRDAP Technical Committee
held in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2014. The Seventh Policy Dialogue has special significance as it was organized along with
an International Workshop on Climate Change where Fijis experiences on climate change adaptation and Disaster
Risk Reduction were demonstrated.
The following papers were presented in the Policy Dialogue:
1. Presentation by the Moderator on Regional Workshop on Efficacy of Initiatives on Rural Income and Poverty
Alleviation: Way Forward and Pakistan Successful best practice on Interest Free Microfinance.
2. CIRDAP Presentation: An Outlook on Rural Income and Poverty Alleviation in Asia and the Pacific
3. Presentation on Fijis Experience on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction
4. Presentation on Randomised Design on by IPA, USA.
Cross-talk of Digital Resources Management: Steps towards Digital Bangladesh
A national seminar on digital resources entitled, "Cross-talk of Digital Resources Management: Steps towards Digital
Bangladesh" was organised by Bangladesh Association of Librarians, Information Scientists and Documentalists
(BALID) in collaboration with the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) on 22
August 2015 at CIRDAP International Conference Centre (CICC). A total of 180 participants from 110 institutions,
including private universities, research and financial organisations across Bangladesh, took part in the seminar.

Speaker sharing their experience on digital resource management

Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP)
Chameli House, 17 Topkhana Road, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh.
web: www.cirdap.org, www.inford.org

The seminar was designed to inform and educate the participants about the standard practices, challenges, solutions,
and planning for the digital resources management carried out by the libraries. The seminar had been a reference
point where cross-talk of digital resources management were widely discussed to create a common platform of
understanding of different burning issues regarding digital documentations.
Dr. Usha Rani Barua, librarian, CIRDAP also made a brief presentation on Developing CIRDAP Institutional
Repository for CIRDAP Member Countries by sharing resources on knowledge and information on IRD and poverty
alleviation programmes. Chief Guest, Mr. Imran Ahmad, Chairman of Standing Committee on Post Telecommunication
and Information Technology, Bangladesh National Parliament opined for the importance of information services where
librarian can increase their scope and horizon by involving themselves with other information centres. Mr. David Hilton,
Assistant Programme Officer, CIRDAP thanked the participants highlighting the importance of information and library
services for development in aligned with Bangladesh Government initiatives.
Turning Unemployment to Entrepreneurship

From Left, Ms Latha Pillai, Director, Rajiv Gandhi institute; Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus; Rajeev Gupta, Secretary of Youth Affairs
Government of India; and Dr. Cecep Effendi, Director General of CIRDAP at the programme

Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, , founder of the Grameen Bank, early developer and implementer of the
social business concept was in India along with his team at Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development
(RGNIYD) to conduct a One -day Workshop on Social Business on 1st September, 2015. He delivered the inaugural
address on Turning Unemployment to Entrepreneurship: Motivating Indian Youth for Social Business to the
prominent entrepreneurs and policy makers of India. This event was jointly organised by RGNIYD and Centre on
Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP).
Being the apex youth catalyst Institute in India, RGNIYD extended the opportunity to the cause -driven young
entrepreneurs, young Heads of corporate social responsibility units to participate and benefit from this event. The
participants of the workshop were given a platform to interact and discuss with Professor Yunus on how to nourish and
scale up their social business and respond to impinging needs of our society. Dr Cecep Effendi, Director General of
CIRDAP attended the programme and shared his thought on how CIRDAP is working to promote entrepreneurship
and rural employment in member countries through training and information dissemination.

Snapshots of the programme

Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP)
Chameli House, 17 Topkhana Road, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh.
web: www.cirdap.org, www.inford.org

CIRDAP sponsored participant at the International Conference in Indonesia, 28th -29th September 2015
Ms. E.T.S. Madhubhashini, Lecturer, Department of Animal Science,
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka,
participated in the conference sponsored by CIRDAP. The
conferences facilitated her to share knowledge in the scientific group
gathered from around the world.
The 6th international conference have discussed the way forwards
towards the sustainable rural community development while
preserving the environment. The contribution and support of RRPG
and CIRDP for organizing this conference have been highly
appreciated.

Conference Participants

DG, CIRDAP attends Social Business Design

DG, CIRDAP attended the 116th Social Business Design Lab, organized by Yunus Centre, and which was held on 17
September 2015 at Grameen Bank Auditorium in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Around 150 participants and observers from
national and international organizations with diverse background attended the programme. Six young entrepreneurs
coming from Grameen Bank borrowers families presented innovative entrepreneurial business plan during the
programme The DG expressed the idea of promoting entrepreneurship and transferring technology on agro-food
processing in CIRDAP Member-States as these manifest as one of the ultimate results of various development
interventions being provided by governments and non-governments.
The idea may be done through social business and regional cooperation which was noted by Prof. Yunus who likewise
enthusiastically recalled his recent visit to Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development, India where he
presented a lecture on Entrepreneurship Motivating Indian Youth for Social Business which was coordinated and
facilitated by CIRDAP on 01 September 2015.
National Conference on Enhancing the Role of Mass Media Practitioners in Knowledge Transfer to Improve Agricultural Productivity

A three day National Conference on Enhancing the Role of

Mass Media Practitioners in Knowledge Transfer to Improve
Agricultural Productivity was held on 20-22 September, at
the Hotel 71, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The program was jointly
organized by the National Productivity Organisation (NPO)
and the Asian Productivity Organization (APO), Japan.
Director and Assistant Programme Officer, Pilot Projects
Division and Director, Research Division, CIRDAP have
participated the event along with other fifty participants
representing electronic and print media such as UNB,
Arilife24.com, BTV, RTV, Ministry of Agriculture, Department A view of the conference
of Agricultural Extension, BRRI, BARI, CDP, CIRDAP,
researcher from Agriculture Universities and representatives from private sector.
The objectives of the event were to disseminate ideas about innovation, knowledge transfer and the role of mass
media for agricultural productivity in Bangladesh. The key presentation was on a growing agriculture innovation which
addresses issues on decreasing land area, vulnerable crop yield due to climate change, increasing urban population,
increasing demand for fresh, clean and nutritious food.
Later, a luncheon meeting of CIRDAP-APO-NPO was held in which the DG CIRDAP Dr. Cecep Effendi delivered an
impromptu speech encouraging them to support the growth of agro-food processing in Bangladesh using crops
planted small growers.

Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP)
Chameli House, 17 Topkhana Road, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh.
web: www.cirdap.org, www.inford.org

IFIC Bank launches product for small and micro entrepreneurs

IFIC Bank Limited launched a SME Loan product named IFIC Shilpo Sohay for cottage and micro entrepreneur on
20 September 2015 in local hotel, Dhaka, Bangladesh. APO, PPD represented CIRDAP in the prgoramme since
CIRDAP has collaboration with Bangladesh Bank and IFIC regarding promotion of SMEs in Bangladesh. Deputy
Governor of Bangladesh Bank Mr. S. K. Sur Chowdhury formally launched the product as Chief Guest at a ceremony.
Appreciating the efforts of IFIC Bank for financial inclusion, Deputy Governor, Bangladesh Bank expected that other
commercial banks also would create access to credit for cottage and micro entrepreneurs for the sustainability of the
economy. Due to inclusive economic policy as he expressed his opinion that Bangladesh could tackle well the global
recession and maintained economic stability.

Snapshots of the programme

CEO of IFIC Bank informed that IFIC Bank is in process of synchronization of recognizing the good branches of rural
areas along with urban branches. This recognition would be as he informed based on low cost delivery, risk
management with an aim of inclusive banking of Bangladesh Banks policy. In this regard, IFIC already identified some
areas specialized on certain products in rural Bangladesh as their target areas who would receive IFIC Shilpo
Sohays loan as collateral free credit for pottery, handloom, handicrafts and some other sectors.
Forthcoming Programmes

CIRDAP NIRD&PR Collaborative International Training Programme on Sustainable Agriculture for Rural
Development will be held on October 04 November 2015 at Lao PDR.

CIRDAP NIRD&PR Collaborative International Training Programme on Local Governance and Delivery of
Services will be held on 29 November 08 December 2015 at NIRD&PR and KILA, Kerala, India

CIRDAP NIRD&PR Collaborative International Training Programme on Geo-informatics Applications in

Rural Development for Sharing Innovative and Best Practices will held on December 2015 at NIRD&PR, India

CIRDAP NIRD&PR Collaborative International Training Programme on ICT Application for Rural
Development will be held on February 2016 at NIRD&PR, India.

First Asian Public governance conference on public-private partnership will be held on 26th November in
Seoul, Korea.

For further details please contact:

Dr. Vasanthi Rajendran
Director, ICD, CIRDAP
E-mail: vasanthi@cirdap.org

Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP)
Chameli House, 17 Topkhana Road, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh.
web: www.cirdap.org, www.inford.org