JAKARTA, 23 August 2023 – The Special Senior Officials Meeting (SSOM) on 44th ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) and Related Meetings took place via video conference on 22- 23 August to update on the implementation of the ASEAN Cooperation on Food, Agriculture, and Forestry (FAF) programmes.
The SSOM 44th AMAF Meeting, SSOM 22nd AMAF Plus Three, 8thASEAN-Russia Federation Senior Officials’ Meeting on Agriculture, and the Senior Officials Meeting of the ASEAN-Japan Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry (SOM-AJMAF) were chaired by Dr Thatsaka Saphangthong, Director General, Department of Planning and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Lao PDR.
The meetings discussed priority deliverables, sectoral cooperation, and collaborative projects with dialogue partners and international/regional organisations on the key areas of FAF including the promotion of sustainable and circular agriculture, reduction of harmful agrochemicals and crop burning, and promotion of Nature-based Solutions/Ecosystem-based Approach.
At the SSOM 44th AMAF Meeting, progress in 2023 FAF key deliverables was noted. For 2024, the meeting agreed on three proposed key deliverables and the two Priority Economic Deliverables (PED) of Lao PDR’s 2024 ASEAN Chairmanship. The 2024 PED consists of the development of an Action Plan for the Implementation of the ASEAN Guidelines on Sustainable Agriculture and the Strategy or Guideline for Crop Burning Reduction to Support the Implementation of the ASEAN Carbon Neutrality Strategy.
The meeting also noted that the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Strengthening Food Security and Nutrition in Response to Crises was already endorsed by the SOM-AMAF and AMAF on 4 August and will be submitted to the 43rd ASEAN Summit for adoption.
Meanwhile, the SSOM 22nd AMAF Plus Three Meeting noted the progress of implementation of the ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Strategy Framework on Food, Agriculture, and Forestry (2016-2025) comprising 26 activities under China, 25 activities under Japan, and 14 activities under the Republic of Korea (ROK).
The SOM-AJMAF, on the other hand, discussed the ASEAN-Japan Midori Cooperation Plan which aims to foster cooperation and collaboration between ASEAN and Japan toward building resilient and sustainable agriculture and food systems through innovation. In this regard, both parties expect to spell out collaboration plans in the Symposium on Regional Food: Strengthening Mutual Cooperation between ASEAN and Japan towards Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture and Food System with Innovation to be held this November in Jakarta as part of the commemorative event of the 50th Anniversary of the ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.
At the 8th ASEAN- Russia Federation Senior Officials’ Meeting on Agriculture, the meeting noted the progress in the implementation of the ASEAN-Russia Agriculture and Food Security Cooperation Work Programme (2021-2025). Under the programme, one project has been completed, two projects are ongoing, two projects are under the appraisal and approval process, and two new projects are proposed.
The outcomes and recommendations of SSOM 44th AMAF and Related Meetings will be reported to the 45th AMAF and Related Meetings to be held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 2-6 October.
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