ASEAN, partners promote agro-forestry cooperation

Officials attends the virtual 22rd Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Plus Three on October 26. (Source: asean.org)

Hanoi (VNA) – The 22rd Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Plus Three (China, Japan and the Republic of Korea) was held virtually on October 26, during which participants hailed the continuous support and commitments of the three partners in the areas of food, agriculture and forestry.

They commended the progress made in the implementation of the ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Strategy (APTCS) 2016-2025 in the strategic areas of strengthening food security, sustainable forest management, climate change mitigation and adaptation, animal and plant health and disease control, capacity-building and human resource development, enhancing productivity, quality and marketability of agricultural products, strengthening of information system and knowledge networking and exchange, and research and development.

They lauded the outcomes of the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) Agreement, and commended APTERR’s effort on the release of 7,137.8 metric tonnes of rice from Japan and the Republic of Korea to address emergency situations including the COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and the Philippines.

The ministers recognised the effectiveness of the ASEAN Plus Three Food Security Information System (AFSIS), particularly in strengthening the region’s capacity on food security information systems and human resources development.

They supported the key priority areas for ASEAN cooperation in Food Agriculture and Forestry, including promoting green, sustainable and circular agriculture and sustainable forest management, reducing the use of harmful agrochemicals in the agriculture sectors, promoting nature-based solutions, decarbonisation efforts, digital technology application in agriculture and forestry.

They called on the three partners to further enhance cooperation on regional activities to promote green, sustainable and circular agriculture, build resilient and sustainable food systems and develop climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts, as well as promote public-private partnership, application of smart and digital agriculture, irrigation and water management.

The ministers agreed to convene the 23rd Meeting of AMAF Plus Three in Malaysia in 2023./.

VNA