1. The ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry and the Ministers of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea held their Eleventh Meeting in Jakarta on 7 October 2011, under the chairmanship of H.E. Dr. Suswono, Minister of Agriculture, Indonesia.
2. The Ministers reaffirmed their strong support in advancing cooperation in food, agriculture, and forestry sectors as guided by the Second Joint Statement on East Asia Cooperation and the ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Work Plan (2007-2017) which implies that linkages between the ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Work Plan and the AMAF Plus Three cooperation projects should be further enhanced. In order to complement this decision, the Ministers supported and welcomed the development of the ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Strategy (APTCS) Framework consisting of six (6) Strategic Areas, i.e. Strengthening Food Security, Biomass Energy Development, Sustainable Forest Management, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, Animal Health and Disease Control and Cross-Cutting Issues.
3. The Ministers noted the progress and endorsed in principle the ASEAN Plus Three Comprehensive Strategy on Food Security and Bio-energy Development (APTCS-FSBD), the main goal of which is to provide umbrella for multi-sectoral cooperation among the ASEAN Plus Three Countries in ensuring long-term food security and bio-energy development.
4. The Ministers considered and endorsed the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) Agreement as a permanent scheme for meeting emergency requirements and achieving humanitarian purposes and affirmed their support for implementation of the scheme. The Ministers also agreed to expedite the process to get the agreement ratified in accordance with legal procedures and recognised the possibility of re-adjustment in the financial contribution of ASEAN Member States facing financial difficulties.
5. The Ministers welcomed the aspiration by the Leaders at the 18th ASEAN Summit for the possibility of expanding coverage of the APTERR other than rice in times of emergency and in supporting the countries in vulnerable position as a result of food price volatility and surge in food demand. Along this line, the Ministers recognised the need to learn from experience and progress made in the implementation of the Agreement by focusing first on rice. The Ministers also recognised the need for adopting a step-by-step approach in considering expanding APTERR as a role model for other food commodities. Building on existing food security initiatives, the Ministers were of the view that relevant food security initiatives should be reviewed and enhanced to address concerns resulting from food price volatility and surge in food demand. The Ministers tasked the Senior Officials of ASEAN and the Plus Three Countries to work together in addressing the above concern towards ensuring long-term food security in the region.
6. The Ministers agreed and endorsed Proposal of Post-2012 ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS) which would be operated after the end of current AFSIS Project in 2012. The objective is to establish AFSIS Network Centres (AFSIS NCs) as a self-sustaining mechanism. The proposed activities include ASEAN Food Security Analysis Report (AFSAR), Food Security Forecasting Model (FSFM) and Broadening Food Security Databases.
7. The Ministers expressed their satisfaction and appreciation on the various on-going projects’ activities conducted and will be conducted by the Plus Three Countries and by the ASEAN Secretariat in the field of food security, agricultural technology, mangrove ecosystem conservation and sustainable use, biomass energy, climate change adaptation, statistics, data management, plant variety protection, plant quarantine, aquaculture and information sharing and so on. The Ministers endorsed twonew project proposalsfrom Japan that aim to strengthen capacity buildingfor productivity enhancementand research in agriculture sector in ASEAN Countries.
8. The Ministers noted the necessity of further cooperation of ASEAN and the Plus Three Countries on sustainable fisheries for food security. The Ministers recognised the importance of assisting ASEAN by the Plus Three Countries on identified priority areas of cooperation to support the implementation of Action on Sustainable Fisheries for Food Security for the ASEAN Region Towards 2020 which was discussed in the ASEAN-SEAFDEC Conference held on 13-17 June 2011 in Bangkok, with emphasis on training and capacity building.
9. The Ministers agreed to have the 12th AMAF Plus Three Meeting in Lao PDR in 2012. The Ministers expressed their sincere appreciation to the Government and People of the Republic of Indonesia for the warm hospitality and excellent arrangements made for the 11th AMAF Plus Three Meeting.
LIST OF MINISTERS
H.E. Pehin Dato Yahya, Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Brunei Darussalam
H.E. Mr. Chan Tong Yves, Secretary of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Cambodia
H.E. Dr. Suswono, Minister of Agriculture, Indonesia
H.E. Mr. Vilayvanh Phomkhe, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Lao PDR
H.E. Mr. Noh Bin Omar, Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry, Malaysia
H.E. Mr. Ohn Than, Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation, Myanmar
H.E.Dr. Joel S. Rudinas, Undersecretary of Agriculture, Philippines
H.E. Dr. Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of National Development and Defence, Singapore
H.E. Miss Supatra Thanaseniwat, Permanent Secretary of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand
H.E. Dr. Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Viet Nam
H.E. Mr. Zhu Baocheng, Senior Consultant of the Ministry of Agriculture, China
H.E.Mr. Michihiko Kano, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan
H.E.Mr. Kim, Jong-Jin, Deputy Minister for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of Korea
H.E. Mr. S. Pushpanathan, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Economic Community
ISGMARD
10/14/2011
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