South Asia, with a population of 1.7 billion, is the second most populated region of the world, after East Asia. Nearly half of the world's poor live in this region. It is one of the fastest growing regions, registering an average gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6 percent per annum over the last two decades (1990–2010). Yet, it is also the least integrated region with high incidence of cross-border conflicts and vulnerability to internal and external shocks, climate change and natural disasters (e.g., floods, droughts, cyclones, etc.).

Agriculture (including crops, livestock, poultry and fisheries) continues to be a vital sector of the economies of the South Asian region despite significant structural change over the past two decades. Agriculture is still the main source of livelihood for 75 percent of its population that lives in the rural areas; it constitutes about 21 percent of the GDP and employs about 42 percent of the labor force of the region. The regional picture however masks the significant differences in the size and structure of the South Asian economies as reflected in Table 1.

For instance, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka with agriculture value added ranging between 12 to 38 percent of total GDP are transforming at a relatively rapid pace from agro-based to transforming economies, while Afghanistan, Bhutan, Maldives and Nepal with agriculture value added about 40 percent or more are still primarily agro-based.