Agriculture and Food Cooperation

Overview

ASEAN cooperation in the agriculture and food sector dated back as early as 1968 with cooperation in food production and supply. As the needs increased, In 1977, the scope of cooperation was expanded in 1977 to include the greater area of agriculture and forestry. as the needs have increased. Currently, the specific areas under the ASEAN cooperation in agriculture and food includes food security, food safety, halal food, crops, livestock, agricultural training and extension, agricultural cooperatives, and joint cooperation in agriculture and forest products promotion scheme.

The Strategic Plan of ASEAN Cooperation in Food, Agriculture and Forestry 2016-2025 defines the vision and goals for the food, agriculture and forestry sector. It , identifies and prioritises the main areas for cooperation, and proposes Strategic Thrusts and Action Programmes. It is formulated in a global and regional context and in response to the socio-economic and demographic changes driven by three key drivers:, rapid economic growth, regional integration and globalisation, and pressures on the natural resource base including climate change.

The Vision of the ASEAN Cooperation in the agriculture and food sector is to create “A competitive, inclusive, resilient and sustainable Food, Agriculture, and Forestry (FAF) sector integrated with the global economy, based on a single market and production base contributing to food and nutrition security and prosperity in the ASEAN Community.” Six goals have been formulated to achieve the Vision, namely:

Ensuring equitable, sustainable and inclusive growth
Alleviating poverty and eradicating hunger
Ensuring food security, food safety and better nutrition
Deepening regional integration
Enhancing access to global markets
Increasing resilience to, and contributing to mitigation and adaptation of climate change, natural disasters and other shock.

Priority Areas of Cooperation

According to the Strategic Plan of Action for ASEAN Cooperation in Food, Agriculture and Forestry, 2016-2025, the priority areas of Cooperation focuses on:

Enhance quantity and quality of production with sustainable, ‘green’ technologies, resource management systems, and minimise pre- and post-harvest losses and waste;
Enhance trade facilitation, economic integration and market access;
Ensure food security, food safety, better nutrition and equitable distribution.
Increase resilience to climate change, natural disasters and other shocks;
Assist resource constrained small producers and SMEs to improve productivity, technology and product quality, to meet global market standards and increase competitiveness.
Strengthen ASEAN joint approaches on international and regional issues affecting the FAF sector.

A number of activities have been conducted to support the priorityies areas of coorpeoration such as: (i) the development of agricultural standards and guidelines (Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) and Good Animal Husbandry Practices), (ii) the implementation of the ASEAN Integrated Food Security (AIFS) Framework and Strategic Plan of Action on Food Security, 2015-2020, (iii) the establishment of the Climate Resilient Network (CRN) to deal with climate change issues in the food and agriculture sector and (iv) the establishment of Grow Asia, an initiative between ASEAN and World Economic Forum to assist MSMEs to enhance their capacity in accessing new science and technology. The adoption of the ASEAN Guidelines on Promoting Responsible Investment in the Food, Agriculture and Forestry aims to promote investment in food, agriculture and forestry in the ASEAN region that contributes to regional economic development, food and nutrition security, food safety and equitable benefits, as well as the sustainable use of natural resources

Major sectoral bodies/committees

To implement activities related to promoting food, agriculture and forestry cooperation in ASEAN, 49 Working Groups/Expert Working Groups and Taskforce (as of March 2020) have been established to support Senior Officials of ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (SOM-AMAF) and ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF). The ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board (AFSRB) was established to review, monitor and evaluate the situation of food security status at global, regional and countries levels. In order to support the work of AFSRB, ASEAN Member States agreed to develop ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS) and ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) to strengthen food security cooperation in the region through the systematic collection, analysis and dissemination of food security related information and other supportive activities.

The ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Crops (ASWGC) provides a mechanism to develop ASEAN Standards on Crops regarding Good Agriculture Practices (GAP), pesticides, pest risk analysis, Biological Control Agents and other related issues. One of the key tasks to be conducted by theof ASWGC is to harmonize the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) of commonly used pesticides for widely trade crop products in accordance with international standards/ guidelines, where applicable.

The ASEAN Working Group on Livestock (ASWGL) provides a mechanism to develop ASEAN Standards in Livestock for Vaccines, Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP) and other related activities in the livestock sector.
The ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Agricultural Research and Development (ASWGARD) provides a mechanism for ASEAN Member States to work on the R&D in agricultural sector.
The ASEAN Working Group on Halal Food (AWGHF) provides a mechanism for cooperative undertakings among AMS on the development and harmonisation of halal food standard, certification and accreditation; conduct of capacity building; and exchange of information on halal food development and best practices.
The ASEAN Genetically Modified Food Testing Network (ASEAN GMFNet) provides a mechanism for harmonisation of ASEAN GMO regulatory framework for food, feed and environment, including GMO detection approach and methods; capacity building on GMO analysis; and information exchange on the development of modern biotechnology in the context of food testing.

The Matrix of WGs under SOM AMAF

No	Name	Years of establishment	Function
1	ASEAN Senior Officials on Forestry (ASOF)	1998	To achieve the forestry cooperation’s vision where forest resources are sustainably managed at the landscape level to meet societal needs, both socio-economically and culturally, of the present and future generations and to contribute positively to sustainable development; To facilitate cooperation in sustainable forest management, enhancing competitiveness of ASEAN Forest Products, promoting forest law enforcement and governance (FLEG) and addressing forest resilience to climate change.
2	ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board (AFSRB)	1979	Coordinate periodic exchanges of information on national food policies, and stocking policies as well as production, consumption and storage programmes pertaining to basic food commodities; Undertake a periodic evaluation of the food situation and prospects in the ASEAN region as well as worldwide, including production, consumption, trade, prices, quality and stocks of basic food commodities; and Review periodically the size of the ASEAN Emergency Rice Reserve and to work out acceptable criteria for determining the contribution of each ASEAN Member Country to such Emergency Rice Reserve
3	ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Livestock (ASWGL)	1997 (Special SOM-AMAF in 6-8 May 1997, Cebu, Philippines)	Provide a mechanism to develop and implement the relevant activities in the livestock sector. Details works are described in the TOR ASWGL.
4	ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Crops (ASWGC)	1997 (Special SOM-AMAF in 6-8 May 1997, Cebu, Philippines)	Develop and provide policy support to promote crops sector in the region, including enhancement of its trade through facilitation mechanisms. Details of the works are described in the TOR-ASWGC.
5	ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Fisheries	1997 (Special SOM-AMAF 6-8 May 1997, Cebu, Philippines)	Conduct periodic reviews of the fisheries situation in the ASEAN region. Develop effective methods of exchange of information among ASEAN Member　Countries pertaining to fisheries. Facilitate cooperative　undertakings as well as the eventual coordination and harmonization of ASEAN fisheries policies. Identify areas of cooperation among the ASEAN Member Countries as well as with third countries, groups of countries or international agencies, in order to promote the sound development of the sector in the ASEAN region.
6	ASEAN SPS Contact Points	2012 (the 34th AMAF Meeting on 27 September 2012, Singapore)	Coordinate harmonization efforts on SPS measures by all relevant WGs under AMAF. Details of works are described in the TOR-ASCP.
7	ASEAN Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed	2008 (SOM-29th AMAF, 5-7 August 2008, Chiang Mai, Thailand)	The Steering Committee: Formulate the policy, guiding principles, and criteria governing the development and operation of ARASFF. The ARASFF NCP manage the national alert and notification for food and feed of the ASEAN Member States. Details of works for Steering Committee and the National Contact Points are described in their respective TOR
8	ASEAN Working Group on Halal Food	2000	Facilitate exchange of knowledge and information with regards to Halal certification, accreditation and R&D, as well as development in national policies and regulations. Development of regional standards/guidelines relevant to Halal food Promote regional capacity building in Halal food
9	ASEAN Technical Working Group on Agricultural Research and Development	2003	To provide policy inputs and facilitate cooperation with existing ASEAN bodies for intergovernmental networking, technical assistance, and knowledge sharing in agricultural research and development.
10	ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Agriculture Training and Extension	1997	To conduct periodic reviews of the agricultural training and extension situation in the ASEAN region and to facilitate cooperation and exchange information/knowledge among AMS in enhancing capacity and human resources development in agriculture sector.
11	ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Agriculture Cooperative	2000	To conduct periodic reviews of the agricultural cooperatives situation in the ASEAN region and to facilitate agricultural cooperatives development through policy/institutional changes, exchange best practices and experiences and capacity building.
12	ASEAN taskforce on CODEX	2000	Harmonise and strengthens ASEAN position at international food safety standard setting forums, namely the Codex Alimentarius Commission, and its relevant bodies
13	ASEAN Taskforce on Genetically Modified Food Testing Network	2003	Facilitate exchange of updates on GMOs regulatory systems, GM crops under research and GM testing capabilities Facilitate capacity building efforts to narrow the capacity gaps on GMO testing Discuss ASEAN common approach in current issues on modern biotechnology
14	Joint Committee on ASEAN Cooperation on Joint Approach in Agriculture and Forestry Products Promotion Scheme	1994 (MOU on ASEAN Cooperation and Joint Approaches in Agriculture and Forest Products Promotion Scheme Langkawi, Malaysia, 25 August 1994)	The Joint Committee shall oversee the implementation of the MOU and report to SOM-AMAF.

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