At its forty-second sitting, held on 7 March, the Committee discussed the 2006 Programme of Activities of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management. The sitting was chaired by Dr Zoran Masic.

Ministry officials informed Committee members about the legislation to be passed in 2006, as well as about support measures for rural and agricultural development and steps to be taken to improve marketability of agricultural produce.

The Committee endorsed the Programme of Activities. It was resolved to hold a Committee sitting on 14 March to discuss actions being taken to combat the spread of avian influenza (bird flu).

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management was asked to put the Agricultural Land Bill into Assembly procedure as soon as possible, and to submit the draft Co-Operatives Bill to the Agriculture Committee.

United Nations Development Programme and Poverty Reduction Committee officials took part in the sitting, presenting a UN programme designed to prevent poverty in agriculture. The Committee took up the offer of co-operating with UNDP in implementing the programme.