MORANG: Koshi Province’s Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki and Israel’s Ambassador to Nepal Shmulik Arie Bass have held a meeting today.

In the meeting held at the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers at Biratnagar, Morang, CM Karki said that Nepal and Israel share a historic friendship and emphasized the need to further strengthen the longstanding friendship between the two countries.

Highlighting the ongoing cooperation between the two countries in sectors such as agriculture, labour, employment and health among others, he mentioned that many Nepalis were working in Israel, especially as caregivers and in agriculture sector, and pointed out the need to further organize it.

Appreciating Israel’s innovation and technology transfer as well as advanced agricultural technologies, the CM viewed that the Israeli experience in these areas could be useful for Nepal as well.

On the occasion, CM Karki articulated readiness of the Koshi provincial government for collaboration with Israel.

Furthermore, he said that Koshi Province possessed potential for agricultural production and expressed willingness to forge partnership with Israel towards this end.

CM Karki also shared to the Israeli envoy about the provincial government’s initiatives to promote entrepreneurship among youths for agriculture by providing subsidies and other schemes.

He viewed that if the farmers in the province were provided with knowledge and practical training, it would significantly contribute to achieve economic growth through agriculture.

The Chief Minister proposed collaboration between the Israeli government and the Manmohan Technical University at Budhiganga, Morang and Gauradaha Agriculture Campus in Jhapa among other agriculture institutes across the province.

On the occasion, the CM also requested for the Israeli ambassador’s initiatives for the release of Nepali youth Bipin Joshi who is believed to be in capacity of Hamas.

Israeli ambassador Bass reciprocated that Nepal and Israel enjoy deep and enduring relations, dating back to era of first democratically elected Prime Minister BP Koirala.

He mentioned that there were tremendous opportunities for Nepali workers in Israel especially in care giving and agriculture thereby expressing readiness of the Israeli government to coordinate effort with Koshi Province government in these sectors.

Ambassador Bass expressed his concern that despite more than 50 per cent of Nepal’s population being engaged in agriculture, the sector’s progress remained below expectations unlike in Israel where a relatively small size of population are involved in agriculture and yet the outcomes are remarkably successful.

The Israeli Envoy called for leveraging innovation and new technologies in the agriculture sector to achieve better results.