Dr Manoj Thibbotuwawa Speaks on the Prospects for Regional Value Chains in the South Asian Agriculture Sector

11 – 13 January 2024

IPS Research Fellow Dr Manoj Thibbotuwawa discusses the prospects for regional value chains in the South Asian agriculture sector at the Global Concave 2024 Conference.

Description: IPS Research Fellow and Head of Agricultural Policy Research Dr Manoj Thibbotuwawa highlighted the importance of strengthening local agrifood production and linking local producers with the dynamic agricultural markets through regional value chains (RVCs) for South Asian countries like Sri Lanka to rebound from the existing economic shocks.

He further stressed the need for South Asia to introduce reforms in regional integration measures, existing tariff structures and non-tariff measures to expedite the region’s participation in RVCs and promote accelerated economic development.

Dr Thibbotuwawa made these remarks at the roundtable on ‘Regional and Sectoral Value Chains in South Asia’ of the ‘Global Conclave 2024: Advancing Human Development in the Global South’, organised jointly by the Institute of Human Development (IHD), Research and Information Systems for Developing Countries (RIS) and National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), held at the India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi, India.

The Conclave brought together leading experts and scholars on diverse themes of human development that include economic growth, education, health, climate change and sustainable development, gender equality, employment and livelihoods, food security and nutrition, equity and inclusion, and social protection.