Ashok Gulati, Director of IFPRI's Markets, Trade, and Institutions Division, during his inaugural speech
As most of you know, South Asia is often referred to as a success story because of its experience with the Green Revolution, which made a significant dent in poverty. But the region still faces a challenge. South Asia is still home to about 40 percent of the world's poor people (those who live on less than US$1 a day). It supports roughly 22 percent of the world population but generates less than 2 percent of global income. It has the world's highest concentration of poverty.
IFPRI's mission is to look for sustainable solutions to ending hunger and poverty, so we have long been working in this part of the world. But in 2002, IFPRI launched a new program called the South Asia Initiative (SAI). The idea was to capitalize on past experience and to build synergy across the countries of South Asia. SAI formed a network of policy analysts and advisors from South Asia, named PAANSA. We were privileged to have luminaries like you, Mr. Prime Minister, from India, Mr. Sartaj Aziz from Pakistan, and Mr. M. Syeduzzaman from Bangladesh guiding us as members of this network.
PAANSA prioritized the issues requiring research and capacity strengthening in this region, of which the two most noteworthy are (1) the impact of trade liberalization on food security, and (2) diversification toward high-value agriculture and the implications for smallholders. Another experiment launched in the region was known as "The Dragon and the Elephant"-a comparative study of reforms in China and India, with a focus on agriculture. These exciting studies have allowed us to realize synergies not only between researchers in Washington and researchers in South Asia, but also among researchers across the region. As Dr. von Braun mentioned, the goal of mutual sharing and learning was being translated into reality.
Since 2002 SAI has expanded greatly, thanks to our collaborators and donors. We are honored by the association of senior policy advisers, researchers, and agribusiness and farmer leaders from the region, who have guided and supported this venture. IFPRI's role in facilitating policy research and bringing the wise together has indeed paid off.
Sometimes such interactions have spontaneous and unexpected spillover effects that go beyond pure research and policy pursuits and are perhaps more valuable in terms of human relationships. Like the birds and the rivers, researchers know no borders. For example, in a recent training workshop in Pakistan organized by IFPRI in association with the University of Faisalabad and Innovative Development Strategies, Dr. Qureshi and Dr. Malik organized a visit to village Gah in district Chakwal, in Pakistan Punjab-your native village, Mr. Prime Minister. We were mesmerized by the reception we received from the villagers, who welcomed us with flower petals and danced with joy to display the honor of seeing a little boy from their village become the prime minister of India. With tearful eyes, they conveyed their pride in you as a prime minister who is admired on both sides of the border. We were also taken to the primary school, where you studied, and shown the mark sheets when you got first rank in grade IV. We met one of your classmates, Mohammad Ali, who fondly remembered you and wished to see you in near future.
The spontaneous love and affection of the people spoke volumes about the unexploited social capital in the region. Let us not underestimate the importance of people-to-people contact for building lasting economic and political relationships. The movement of people, goods, and services can help develop a common market on a pattern similar to that in Europe, which will benefit everyone in the region. IFPRI's endeavor is to capture some of such lessons and opportunities through its New Delhi office. Once again, I am grateful to all of you for the honor you have bestowed upon us by coming to this inaugural function. I also take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt thanks to my colleagues at IFPRI, especially Dr. Joshi, and the architect and the designer, for their valuable contribution to this New Delhi office.
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