Under the Core Agriculture support Program Phase II, the Gms countries have agreed on new strategic directions to address emerging regional challenges to agricultural development. The second phase of the program recognizes the drivers of change in the region, including the ongoing process of trade liberalization, changing market demands, the degradation of natural resources, the contribution of agricul-ture to climate change and the impact of climate A strategic Framework for the Next 10 Years 17change on the sector, and global concerns about food security. It also acknowledges the need to prioritize focus areas in the context of limited resources, and focuses specifically on issues linked to expanded cross-border trade in agri-food products and climate change adaptation