The Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) has stood as a cornerstone institution for promoting inclusive rural development in the Asia-Pacific region since its establishment in 1979. As an intergovernmental and autonomous regional organization, CIRDAP was formed to address the pressing need for integrated and sustainable rural development through cooperation, research, training, and policy advocacy among its member countries.
The idea of CIRDAP was born from discussions within the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) during the early 1970s, recognizing the urgency of addressing rural poverty and development challenges in a coordinated manner. A proposal was crafted and discussed by member states during a consultation in Bangkok in March 1977, leading to its official establishment in Bangladesh following an agreement signed on 1 August 1978 in Kuala Lumpur.
The centre began its operations under the leadership of its founder director Azizul Haq, from a modest office at the Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD) in Cumilla. CIRDAP started its journey with six member countries and grew to eleven during Haq's tenure, and now it includes 15 member states from across Asia and the Pacific. The member countries are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh (Host State), Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.
CIRDAP relocated its headquarters to Chameli House in Dhaka in 1985-a historic building symbolising a new era of regional collaboration. Over the decades, the Centre has received continued support from key international donors, notably the Government of Japan and FAO, which contributed financially to both administrative and programmatic needs.
CIRDAP's primary aim is to support its member countries in promoting integrated rural development (IRD) and sustainable livelihoods. Its core functions include: Facilitating regional cooperation and technical assistance; conducting action research and policy analysis; Organizing capacity-building programmes and training; Disseminating knowledge and best practices; and Promoting innovations in rural development, particularly in ICT, gender empowerment, and local governance.
Through partnership with contact ministries and link institutions in each member country, CIRDAP promotes mutual learning and collaboration to tackle common rural challenges.
Since its inception, CIRDAP has undertaken a wide range of activities including Training Programmes- thousands of rural development professionals from member countries have been trained in areas such as project management, gender mainstreaming, microfinance, sustainable agriculture, and ICT; Action Research- CIRDAP has supported pilot projects across its member countries to test and document effective models of community-driven development; and Knowledge Management- through its publications, journals, and digital platforms, CIRDAP disseminates research findings, case studies, and policy briefs to influence development discourse.
CIRDAP has implemented a number of research, action research, training, and ICD projects for its member countries over the years. Operating through designated Contact Ministries and Link institutions in member countries, CIRDAP promotes technical cooperation among nations of the region. It plays a supplementary role in supporting and furthering the effectiveness of integrated rural development in the Asia-Pacific region.
In its long successful history, CIRDAP has achieved several significant milestones. The First Asia-Pacific Ministerial Meeting on Rural Development was held in Dhaka in April 1987, which aimed at establishing a network to help hasten the achievement of CIRDAP goals. The Ministerial Meeting gave CIRDAP a wide popularity. Minister and Secretary for the RDCD took a keen interest in the success of the meeting.
Former President of the Government of Bangladesh Hossain Mohammed Ershad christened the headquarters of CIRDAP at Chameli House by planting a Chameli [Jesmine] sapling on the campus. Due to the good environment, Chameli House attracted people easily because of its excellent location.
The then Prime Minister of Bangladesh Begum Khaleda Zia was the Chief Guest at a CIRDAP programme held in Dhaka in May 1992.
In 2008, the Ministerial Meeting held in New Delhi, India, adopted the Delhi Declaration that advised CIRDAP to further enhance its role in promoting sustainable rural livelihood, empowering women, and leveraging ICT through providing a platform for the exchange of ideas, sharing experiences and best practices, dissemination of information and facilitating networks among the CIRDAP Member Countries (CMCs) for generating knowledge, training, and capacity building.
The Second Asia-Pacific Ministerial Meeting on Rural Development was held in Dhaka in 2010, which underlined the imperatives of people's participation in rural development, approaches, policies, and programmes. The Meeting also provided guidance and directions to the new mandate for CIRDAP.
Other achievements of CIRDAP include: Establishing CIRDAP International Conference Centre (CICC) in 2013, which has been turned into a modern hub for regional dialogue and capacity-building; World Rural Development Day- July 6, the day CIRDAP officially started its operations, was recognized by the United Nations as World Rural Development Day-an international tribute to its founding vision.
One of CIRDAP's unique strengths lies in its ability to convene stakeholders from across the region, enabling cross-country learning and the transfer of innovative approaches tailored to local contexts.
CIRDAP's success owes much to the vision and dedication of its founding leaders. Founder Director Azizul Haq's efforts in securing Dhaka as the headquarters-despite competition from many big countries-reflect his strategic leadership. In recognition, Dr. Cherdsak Virapat [from Thailand] introduced "Aziz-ul Haq Rural Development Medal". Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina was awarded this Medal for the year 2021, and BARD has been awarded the Medal for the year 2022 for their contributions to the field of rural development.
The current Director General of CIRDAP Dr. P. Chandra Sekhara [who is from India and was appointed in 2024] is embracing new challenges such as climate resilience, youth employment, and digital transformation in rural economies. His leadership is expected to further sharpen the Centre's strategic interventions and relevance in a rapidly changing development landscape.
CIRDAP's journey from a small regional initiative to a Centre of Excellence illustrates the power of cooperation, vision, and community-centred planning. By championing integrated and inclusive rural development, CIRDAP continues to play a vital role in transforming lives, alleviating poverty, and building sustainable futures for millions across the Asia-Pacific region.
As the world advances towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG-1 [No Poverty] and SDG-2 [Zero Hunger], the work of CIRDAP becomes more crucial than ever. Through shared learning, innovation, and commitment to grassroots empowerment, CIRDAP remains a beacon of hope and action in the global rural development movement.
The writer is former Executive Officer [Finance], CIRDAP
