Committee held its annual review meeting. The VDSA team was complimented for its systematic collection, management and dissemination of data; harmonization and linking of micro- and meso-data across regions; clarity on concept, definition, tools, techniques of quantitative and qualitative analysis; and interesting and insightful situational analysis.

The Committee appreciated the progress made and road map towards setting up the VDSA Data Warehouse by mid-2013. It also endorsed the research and publication plan, communication and partnership strategy, policy dialogue and capacity building related activities for 2012-13 and beyond; and supported the innovative entry and ownership building activities undertaken by the East India and Bangladesh teams.

During the meeting, Dr Prabhu Pingali, Deputy Director, Agriculture Development Division of the Gates Foundation expressed satisfaction with the project’s overall progress and underlined that the quality data disseminated and knowledge generated through it would be useful for poverty reduction and agricultural development in South Asia.

Chaired by Dr Mruthyunjaya, former Director, National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP), ICAR, the meeting was attended by Committee members Mahabub Hossain, Executive Director, BRAC, Bangladesh; SS Acharya, Former Chairman, Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), India; NS Jodha; Cynthia Bantilan of ICRISAT; and Samarendu Mohanty of IRRI. At the invitation of the Advisory Committee, the VDSA Project Management Team attended the meeting.