Although the Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) was signed in January 2004, it has not substantially contributed to the expansion of regional trade among its contracting states. This article shows how a number of bilateral preferential trade agreements (PTAs) between SAFTA parties act as formidable stumbling blocks against the expansion of intra-SAFTA trade and must be abolished. It critically analyzes SAFTA's constraints, including areas that SAFTA over- and under-regulates, that militate against the expansion of intra-SAFTA trade. Finally, it advocates that SAFTA must be more ambitious in its scope by adding provisions that will help attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and build coalitions for World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations.

This book analyses the South Asian preferential trade agreements with reference to the WTO jurisprudence. It offers a comprehensive analysis of the factors undermining economic integration in South Asia and recommends possible ways for confronting them.

Preferential Trade Arrangements (PTAs) are proliferating exponentially. A considerable portion of global trade now takes place on preferential terms. In a similar vein, eight member countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) have recently concluded the Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) and the SAARC Agreement on Trade in Services (SATIS). The progress of sub-regional trade cooperation in South Asia to date appears to be rather lacklustre. This thesis analyses the state of intra-SAARC trade cooperation from its inception; examines whether sub-regional free trade is beneficial for them in economic terms; tests the WTO compliance of the sub-regional PTAs under the auspices of the SAARC; identifies some major hindrances to further advancement of these sub-regional PTAs; and suggests possible ways to overcome or minimise these impediments in order to render the SAFTA and SATIS structurally operational, economically beneficial and legally subsumable in the WTO disciplines. -- This thesis critically analyses the text and context of the PTAs concluded under the auspices of the SAARC. It draws on the experience of comparable plurilateral PTAs in other parts of the globe to identify ways of strengthening the SAFTA and SATIS. The PTAs are international treaties and six of the eight contracting parties of the SAFTA are members of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Therefore, it is their legal obligation to ensure that their PTAs comply with the relevant rules of the WTO. This thesis critically examines the WTO rules on PTAs and assesses to what extent the PTAs under the auspices of the SAARC comply with those rules. It recommends a number of amendments to the PTAs concluded under the auspices of the SAARC that would engender greater inter-connectedness among the SAARC economies. No comprehensive analysis of the PTAs can overlook the wider debate regarding the motivations for PTAs, their strengths, weaknesses and impact on the multilateral trading system. This thesis presents a politico-economic critique of these issues in the context of South Asian PTAs with a view to rendering them complimentary to the WTO multilateral trade liberalisation regime. -- As with many other international trade agreements, the SAARC PTAs manifest legal, economic, political and historical undertones and overtones which cannot be captured in a black letter legal study. These diverse issues have necessitated that this thesis adopts an inter-disciplinary approach with a distinct focus on legal rules and norms. It aspires to make a contribution to the greater economic integration among SAARC members. There are surmountable politico-economic constraints to be overcome in achieving greater trade-induced economic integration of SAARC members' economies, largely attributable to certain policies and mindsets that can be addressed through sustained political commitment and economic collaboration in the pursuit of establishing a more functional free trading area in South Asia. The findings of the thesis should also have appeal to the sub-regional PTAs among developing countries and least developed countries (LDCs) in other parts of the world.

This book addresses some key strategic questions related to agriculture in the context of major contemporary developments and emerging challenges in Nepal such as the changing role of agriculture with economic growth, structural transformation in reducing poverty, improving nutritional outcomes, and addressing the challenges of climate change. The book also suggests policy measures to improve the delivery of critical inputs and services and ensure the participation of marginal and smallholders in high-value chains. Further, it discusses how the new federal system and governance structure will affect the delivery of agricultural technology and services. The book is divided into five parts. Part I discusses macro-issues in the agriculture sector, while Part II focuses on agricultural productivity growth and its main drivers. The third part explores diversification in the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors by farmers and other rural people for livelihood improvement, while the fourth part deals with agricultural trade and marketing issues, highlighting policy implications and recommendations in the areas of immediate focus and further research. Lastly, Part V addresses institutions and governance issues, which are vital for agricultural development. In the final chapter, the editors summarize and synthesize the book’s main findings and develop a policy agenda for addressing the many challenges faced by the agriculture sector in Nepal, so as to make it more productive, competitive, sustainable, and inclusive. The book offers a rich source of analytical information on various aspects of agricultural development in Nepal and will be of immense value to policymakers, development partners, civil society, students, and those interested in the economic and agricultural development of not only Nepal, but also other developing countries.