COLOMBO, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- Heads of state or government of eight SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) adopted a statement on food security here Sunday afternoon in the closing session of the 15th SAARC Summit, vowing to ensure food availability in the region.

    The SAARC leaders affirmed in the Colombo Statement on Food Security their resolve to ensure the region-wide food security and make South Asia the granary of the world once again.

    They also directed that an extraordinary meeting of the agriculture ministers of the SAARC member states be convened in New Delhi, India, in November 2008, to evolve and implement a people-centered short to medium term regional strategy and collaborative projects in view of the emerging global situation of reduced food availability and worldwide rise in food prices.

    According to the statement, such projects will increase food production, investment in agriculture and agro-based industries and the development and sharing of agricultural technologies.

    "We direct that the SAARC Food Bank be urgently operationalized," the SAARC leaders said in the statement. "We also emphasize early drawing up of the SAARC Agriculture Perspective 2020."

    "We further direct that SAARC region should forge greater cooperation with the international community to ensure food availability and nutrition security in South Asia," said the statement.

    The two-day 15th SAARC Summit opened here Saturday as heads of member state or government Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Bhutan Prime Minister Jigmi Y. Thinley, Bangladeshi Chief Advisor Fakhruddin Ahmed, Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, NepaliPrime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani and Sri Lankan President Mahinha Rajapaksa convened to deliberate on issues related to regional cooperation.