Officials attends the virtual 22rd Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Plus Three on October 26. (Source: asean.org) They commended the progress made in the implementation ofthe ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Strategy (APTCS) 2016-2025 in thestrategic areas of strengthening food security, sustainable forest management,climate change mitigation and adaptation, animal and plant health and diseasecontrol, capacity-building and human resource development, enhancing productivity,quality and marketability of agricultural products, strengthening ofinformation system and knowledge networking and exchange, and research anddevelopment.
They lauded the outcomes of the ASEAN Plus Three EmergencyRice Reserve (APTERR) Agreement, and commended APTERR’s effort on the releaseof 7,137.8 metric tonnes of rice from Japan and the Republic of Korea toaddress emergency situations including the COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia, LaoPDR, Myanmar, and the Philippines.
The ministers recognised the effectiveness of the ASEAN PlusThree Food Security Information System (AFSIS), particularly in strengtheningthe region’s capacity on food security information systems and human resources development.
They supported the key priority areas for ASEAN cooperationin Food Agriculture and Forestry, including promoting green, sustainable andcircular agriculture and sustainable forest management, reducing the use ofharmful agrochemicals in the agriculture sectors, promoting nature-based solutions, decarbonisationefforts, digital technology application in agriculture and forestry.
They called on the three partners to further enhancecooperation on regional activities to promote green, sustainable and circular agriculture,build resilient and sustainable food systems and develop climate changeadaptation and mitigation efforts, as well as promote public-privatepartnership, application of smart and digital agriculture, irrigation and watermanagement.
The ministers agreed to convene the 23rd Meeting of AMAFPlus Three in Malaysia in 2023./.
VNA
