Illustrative image (Source: VNA)The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea on September 11 agreed to intensify their cooperation in agriculture, particularly food security.
At their 15th meeting in the Philippines, ASEAN+3 agro-forestry ministers confirmed significant progress made during the implementation of cooperation activities and projects under the nine Strategic Thrusts of the 2011-2015 ASEAN+3 Cooperation Strategy on Food, Agriculture and Forestry.
The strategy has helped strengthen food security, enhance capacity-building and human resource development, improve sustainable forest management, climate change mitigation and adaptation, expand information and knowledge sharing, and increase productivity, quality and consumption of agricultural products.
Participating ministers also re-committed to promoting bio-energy towards sustainable agricultural and rural development, through the approval of the ASEAN+3 Bio-energy and Food Security Framework 2015-2025.
They also stressed the need for a preparatory stage to work on the details of the ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS).
The next meeting was agreed to be organised in Singapore in 2016.-VNA
