A three-day SAARC Regional Training on the Development of Inventory for Livestock-Origin Greenhouse Gases and Their Mitigation through Appropriate Feeding Strategies in South Asia began on Monday in virtual mode.
The event brought together policymakers, scientists, and development professionals from across the region. Organised by the SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC), the training aims to strengthen regional capacity to assess livestock-origin greenhouse gas emissions and promote practical mitigation measures through improved feeding strategies.
In his welcome address, Dr Md Harunur Rashid, Director of SAC, underscored the critical role of livestock in food security, nutrition, and rural livelihoods in South Asia.
He noted that while the sector is vital, it also contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane and nitrous oxide. He emphasised the importance of reliable emission inventories and science-based feeding interventions to reduce environmental impact without compromising productivity.
The Chief Guest, SM Mahbubul Alam, Director General (SAARC and BIMSTEC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh, highlighted the growing importance of climate-smart livestock practices in regional and global policy discussions.
He stressed that South Asia must align livestock development strategies with international climate commitments while protecting smallholder farmers’ interests. Alam also emphasised that regional cooperation and evidence-based policymaking are essential for sustainable and inclusive livestock sector growth.
Tanvir Ahmad Torophder, director (ARD & SDF), SAARC secretariat, Nepal, speaking as special guest, reaffirmed SAARC’s commitment to promoting regional cooperation in climate-resilient agriculture and sustainable livestock development.
He highlighted that capacity-building initiatives like this training are vital for achieving shared regional goals under climate change adaptation and mitigation frameworks.
Dr AK Samanta, Assistant Director General (Animal Nutrition and Physiology), ICAR, India, attended as guest of honour and stressed integrating nutrition research with national inventory systems and policy planning.
The keynote address was delivered by Dr Nitin Tyagi, Principal Scientist, ICAR–National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India. He identified smallholder-dominated production systems, low-quality feed resources, and limited data availability as major constraints to mitigating livestock-origin greenhouse gases in South Asia.
Dr Md Younus Ali, Senior Program Specialist (Livestock), SAC, presented the training overview and objectives.
He explained that the programme aims to familiarise participants with internationally recognised methodologies for greenhouse gas inventory development, particularly those recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
