46th AMAF Conference: Cooperation for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security

(PLVN) - On October 24, the 46th ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) was held online under the chairmanship of Myanmar. Participants identified eight priority areas in regional agricultural cooperation.

Two important issues of regional agriculture

The conference reaffirmed ASEAN’s commitment to promoting cooperation in the areas of food, agriculture and forestry. Recognizing the importance of sustainable agriculture, sustainable forest management, decarbonization and digitalization in the ASEAN region, the conference called on all stakeholders, including academia, international organizations and the private sector, to work with ASEAN Member States, through the ASEAN Secretariat, to implement the ASEAN-adopted sustainable and circular food, agriculture and forestry policies.

The ASEAN Secretariat also emphasized two important issues in the regional agricultural sector today: “antibiotic resistance” and “natural agriculture”.

Specifically, the fight against antibiotic resistance in the livestock sector in general and aquaculture in particular needs to be carefully studied by member countries and integrated into their guidelines and regulations. From there, the parties will cooperate to monitor and minimize the impact of antibiotic use in the livestock and aquaculture sectors.

Regarding natural agriculture, the ASEAN Secretariat believes that countries can build a number of pilots to integrate fish farming with mangrove planting in mangrove forests, thereby contributing to achieving the goal of reducing carbon emissions for the region.

The ASEAN Secretariat said it has done some research and surveys to see how we can reduce carbon emissions. Through that, it will strengthen regional cooperation to build new markets such as carbon credit markets.

The representative of Vietnam - Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien emphasized the important significance of the Conference as an opportunity for countries in the region to jointly evaluate and summarize the results of cooperation in the field of food, agriculture and forestry in ASEAN in 2024. From there, it will set out the priority directions for cooperation in food, agriculture and forestry in ASEAN in the following year. In addition, the Conference is also an opportunity for Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry of ASEAN member countries to exchange views and share experiences related to the development of the food, agriculture and forestry sector in ASEAN.

In 2024, ASEAN food, agriculture and forestry cooperation will be implemented and achieve many important results, contributing to food security; sustainable and low-emission agricultural development. Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien affirmed that Vietnam is actively and responsibly participating in food, agriculture and forestry cooperation in ASEAN, contributing to the common results.

According to Mr. Phung Duc Tien, the 44th - 45th ASEAN Summit in October 2024 in Laos adopted the ASEAN Leaders' Declaration on Promoting Sustainable Agriculture and acknowledged the Action Plan on Sustainable Agriculture in ASEAN. The adoption of the above Declaration will further strengthen cooperation among ASEAN member states, the ASEAN Secretariat, partners and international organizations to continue implementing the ASEAN Strategy on carbon neutrality, contributing to food security, sustainable agricultural development and low emissions in the region. At the same time, it will increase benefits for farmers and protect the environment.

Deputy Minister Tien also emphasized Vietnam's belief that ASEAN food, agriculture and forestry cooperation will create new momentum and opportunities towards sustainable and low-emission agricultural development, ensuring food security for the entire ASEAN region.

8 priority areas of ASEAN agricultural cooperation

This conference identified eight priority areas of cooperation in the coming years and encouraged relevant ASEAN sectoral working groups to continue their efforts to implement important initiatives related to food, agriculture and forestry.

One, promote sustainable agriculture through the Action Plan on Sustainable Agriculture. Two, reduce crop residue burning in the region through the implementation of the ASEAN Guidelines on Reduction of Crop Residue Burning. Three, reduce the use of toxic agricultural chemicals and end the practice of crop residue burning. Four, promote nature-based solutions through the implementation of the ASEAN Strategy for Sustainable Management of Mangrove Ecosystems.

Five, prevent and combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in livestock, aquaculture and fisheries. Six, promote the use of biological control agents (BCA) in the agricultural sector, including crop production, livestock, aquaculture and fisheries. Seven, ensure sustainable land and water resources for agricultural production. And finally, encourage the application of regenerative agriculture and digital technology in the food, agriculture and forestry sectors.

ASEAN Member States are encouraged to align their initiatives with regional priorities in these priority areas. The ASEAN Secretariat will support ASEAN Member States and work with various partners to facilitate the implementation of the above initiatives.

Accordingly, this collaborative approach not only aims to address the immediate challenges facing the ASEAN region but also to promote long-term sustainability and resilience in key areas that underpin economic growth and food security.

Support the development of the ASEAN vision on agriculture to 2045

“Vietnam fully supports the goal of achieving net zero emissions in agriculture by 2050 and attaches great importance to the ASEAN Strategy for Carbon Neutrality. We call on the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, together with its national offices, partners and international organizations, to take the lead in implementing this strategy. Vietnam continues to support Malaysia’s proposal to develop an ASEAN vision for agriculture by 2045, which is a priority economic task during Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025,” said Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam.

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/hoi-nghi-amaf-lan-thu-46-hop-tac-vi-nong-nghiep-ben-vung-va-an-ninh-luong-thuc-post529628.html