B20 meeting organized in Gangtok, foreign delegates made aware of Sikkim’s organic farming
16th March, New Delhi: The B20 meeting under India’s G20 Presidency began on Thursday in Sikkim’s capital Gangtok. The meeting was attended by more than 100 delegates including around 50 foreign delegates from 24 countries. In the meeting, the vibrant organic farming of the state was displayed prominently in front of the world through the B20 programme. It also focused on exploring opportunities for cooperation in industries such as tourism, hospitality and pharmaceuticals. Meanwhile, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang addressed the delegates participating in the conference. He appealed for support to establish Sikkim as the ‘Greenest Agro-ecological Destination’ in the world. He said that Sikkim needs such green technology which can ensure better production from limited agricultural land.
Chief Minister Tamang stressed the need for capacity development of the new generation of farmers in the state as well as the need to provide them new methods of training on organic farming. The title of the B20 meeting was ‘Conference on Opportunities for Multilateral Business Partnership in Tourism, Hospitality, Pharmaceuticals and Organic Farming’. The meeting also included B2B and B2G events involving government officials, policy makers, business leaders, CEOs, representatives of multilateral organizations and local entrepreneurs. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Secretary, Sikkim, VB Pathak said that Sikkim is a leader in the protection and conservation of its natural resources. It promotes green investment and is ideal for business opportunities. During this, an exhibition was organized for local entrepreneurs at MG Marg.
The meeting is providing an opportunity for Sikkim to unleash economic potential and pave the way for partnership with business communities of G20 countries. The Startup 20 event is scheduled on March 18 and 19 in Gangtok. Sikkim is hosting the third of the four B20 events scheduled in the Northeast under India’s G20 Presidency. The B20 is the official G20 dialogue forum with the global business community and one of the G20’s most prominent engagement groups.
Earlier, representatives of various G20 countries reached Sikkim on Wednesday to participate in the B20 meeting. The visiting delegates will also be given a comprehensive experience of the culture, cuisine, heritage and natural beauty of Sikkim. The B20 was formed in 2010 and is the official G20 dialogue forum with the global business community.
