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ASEAN officials discuss food security at Laos meeting

The 34th meeting of the ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board (AFSRB) convened in Vientiane, Laos, on June 5 with the participation of 36 delegates from the 10 member countries.
The 34th meeting of the ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board (AFSRB)convened in Vientiane, Laos, on June 5 with the participation of 36delegates from the 10 member countries.

At the function, theofficials heard progress reports on a programme ensuring regional foodsecurity, and the implementation of the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency RiceReserve and the ASEAN Food Security Information System.

Theyreviewed the effectiveness of prioritised cash crops, such as rice,corn, cassava, soya beans and sugar cane in ensuring food security.

Participantsdiscussed the role of the AFSRB and considered sharing more informationon food and nutrition security in the region so as to narrow gapsbetween the countries.

They also tabled the principles of theASEAN Integrated Food Security Plan and the Strategic Plan of Action onFood Security for the region in the 2015-2020 period.

Suggestionswill be proposed at the Senior Officials Meeting of ASEAN MinisterialMeeting on Agriculture and Forestry (SOM-AMAF) this August.

TheAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia,Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailandand Vietnam.-VNA
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