A photo of the APEC High-level Policy Dialogue on Enhancing Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture (Photo: VNA) Can Tho (VNA) – Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has called on membereconomies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum to cooperateand support each other in building and developing sustainable and green agricultureadaptable to climate change.
The APEC economiesshould innovate technologies in agricultural production in order to ensure foodand nutrition security, the Deputy PM said at the High-Level Policy Dialogue onEnhancing Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in Response to ClimateChange in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on August 25.
Differences inproduction ability, human resources and high-tech remain barriers to regionaldevelopment, requiring the APEC members to step up their cooperation and seekthe best measures to reach sustainable and green agriculture, he said.
Deputy PM Dunghighlighted the need to intensify scientific and technological research andtransfer in agriculture, forestry and fishery sectors to increase productivityas well as product quality, while promoting technological applications inagricultural management.
The APEC membersshould enhance cooperation in researching food and nutrition security, andreducing food losses, he stressed.
The Deputy PM proposedfacilitating the development of an equal consumption market on the basis ofmulti-lateral trade principles and agreements, considering trade activities animportant factor promoting sustainable agriculture towards food and nutritionsecurity.
Along with exchanginginformation about sustainable management of natural resources, includingcross-border water resources, it is necessary for the economies to boostrural-urban development with stronger connection to remote areas.
The role of thecommunity and the business circle should be brought into full play through thepublic-private partnership (PPP) model in investment in infrastructure,transport, telecommunications and internet, particularly in disadvantagedareas, the Deputy PM said.
The APEC should set upconnectivity with regional programmes like these of the Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Mekong Delta Sub-region programmes, henoted.
Deputy PM Dung calledfor greater joint efforts to implement the APEC Disaster Reduction RiskFramework, build a disaster prevention system, and improve post-disastersustainability and restoration ability, with attention paid to community-baseddisaster risk management, sustainable rural development and ensuring legitimaterights of coastal residents.
How to ensure foodsecurity and sustainable agriculture in response to climate change is one ofthe most pressing issues facing not only Vietnam but Asia-Pacific and the worldat large, he stressed.
Applauding theHigh-Level Policy Dialogue, the Deputy PM said the event will contribute to theglobal efforts to complete the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and theParis Agreement on Climate Change as well as food security measures approved byministers of the APEC economies.
The VietnameseGovernment has paid heed to cooperation within the framework of the APEC andpledged to stand ready to coordinate with other APEC member economies anddeveloping partners to ensure food security, for peace, stability, sustainabledevelopment and prosperity in the region, he noted.
Earlier, in hisopening remarks, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha saidclimate change is one of the greatest challenges to mankind in the 21st century, which has had serious impacts on agricultural production and thelivelihood of the global population, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
“The situation will beexacerbated unless we have more effective and robust response measures backedup by a comprehensive cooperation with the international community in generaland the APEC region in particular,” he said.
As one of the world’sleading food export regions with the highest agricultural production field, theAPEC region covers a huge geographical area with high population proportion,which tends to increase.
Thus, Vietnam selectedand proposed “Enhancing food security and sustainable agriculture in responseto climate change” as one of the four cooperation priorities of APEC 2017, the ministersaid.
This High-Level PolicyDialogue offers a great opportunity for high-ranking leaders responsible forfood and agricultural production in the APEC member economies to strengthen anddeepen their comprehensive cooperation towards sustainable and climate smartagriculture and food loss management while contributing to ensuring foodsecurity in Asia-Pacific, he noted.
Alan Bollard, ExecutiveDirector of the APEC Secretariat, said Vietnam, this year, has three importantpriorities on sustainable growth, regional economic integration, and small andsmall business modernisation, along with food security and sustainableagriculture in the context of climate change.
Delegates at thedialogue looked into food security in a changing environment, innovation,technology and applied research, and the public-private partnership (PPP) inenhancing sustainable agricultural investment.
At the end of thedialogue, they adopted an Action Plan to implement the APEC Multi-YearFramework Programme on Food Security and Climate Change; an Action Plan toimplement the APEC Strategic Framework on Rural-Urban Development to StrengthenFood Security and Quality Growth; and Can Tho Statement on Enhancing FoodSecurity and Sustainable Agriculture in Response toClimate Change.-VNA
The APEC economiesshould innovate technologies in agricultural production in order to ensure foodand nutrition security, the Deputy PM said at the High-Level Policy Dialogue onEnhancing Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in Response to ClimateChange in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on August 25.
Differences inproduction ability, human resources and high-tech remain barriers to regionaldevelopment, requiring the APEC members to step up their cooperation and seekthe best measures to reach sustainable and green agriculture, he said.
Deputy PM Dunghighlighted the need to intensify scientific and technological research andtransfer in agriculture, forestry and fishery sectors to increase productivityas well as product quality, while promoting technological applications inagricultural management.
The APEC membersshould enhance cooperation in researching food and nutrition security, andreducing food losses, he stressed.
The Deputy PM proposedfacilitating the development of an equal consumption market on the basis ofmulti-lateral trade principles and agreements, considering trade activities animportant factor promoting sustainable agriculture towards food and nutritionsecurity.
Along with exchanginginformation about sustainable management of natural resources, includingcross-border water resources, it is necessary for the economies to boostrural-urban development with stronger connection to remote areas.
The role of thecommunity and the business circle should be brought into full play through thepublic-private partnership (PPP) model in investment in infrastructure,transport, telecommunications and internet, particularly in disadvantagedareas, the Deputy PM said.
The APEC should set upconnectivity with regional programmes like these of the Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Mekong Delta Sub-region programmes, henoted.
Deputy PM Dung calledfor greater joint efforts to implement the APEC Disaster Reduction RiskFramework, build a disaster prevention system, and improve post-disastersustainability and restoration ability, with attention paid to community-baseddisaster risk management, sustainable rural development and ensuring legitimaterights of coastal residents.
How to ensure foodsecurity and sustainable agriculture in response to climate change is one ofthe most pressing issues facing not only Vietnam but Asia-Pacific and the worldat large, he stressed.
Applauding theHigh-Level Policy Dialogue, the Deputy PM said the event will contribute to theglobal efforts to complete the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and theParis Agreement on Climate Change as well as food security measures approved byministers of the APEC economies.
The VietnameseGovernment has paid heed to cooperation within the framework of the APEC andpledged to stand ready to coordinate with other APEC member economies anddeveloping partners to ensure food security, for peace, stability, sustainabledevelopment and prosperity in the region, he noted.
Earlier, in hisopening remarks, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha saidclimate change is one of the greatest challenges to mankind in the 21st century, which has had serious impacts on agricultural production and thelivelihood of the global population, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
“The situation will beexacerbated unless we have more effective and robust response measures backedup by a comprehensive cooperation with the international community in generaland the APEC region in particular,” he said.
As one of the world’sleading food export regions with the highest agricultural production field, theAPEC region covers a huge geographical area with high population proportion,which tends to increase.
Thus, Vietnam selectedand proposed “Enhancing food security and sustainable agriculture in responseto climate change” as one of the four cooperation priorities of APEC 2017, the ministersaid.
This High-Level PolicyDialogue offers a great opportunity for high-ranking leaders responsible forfood and agricultural production in the APEC member economies to strengthen anddeepen their comprehensive cooperation towards sustainable and climate smartagriculture and food loss management while contributing to ensuring foodsecurity in Asia-Pacific, he noted.
Alan Bollard, ExecutiveDirector of the APEC Secretariat, said Vietnam, this year, has three importantpriorities on sustainable growth, regional economic integration, and small andsmall business modernisation, along with food security and sustainableagriculture in the context of climate change.
Delegates at thedialogue looked into food security in a changing environment, innovation,technology and applied research, and the public-private partnership (PPP) inenhancing sustainable agricultural investment.
At the end of thedialogue, they adopted an Action Plan to implement the APEC Multi-YearFramework Programme on Food Security and Climate Change; an Action Plan toimplement the APEC Strategic Framework on Rural-Urban Development to StrengthenFood Security and Quality Growth; and Can Tho Statement on Enhancing FoodSecurity and Sustainable Agriculture in Response toClimate Change.-VNA
VNA
