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6.10.2016_THIRTY EIGHTH MEETING OFTHE ASEAN MINISTERS ON AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY (38th AMAF)

1.            We, the ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF), held our 38th Meeting on 6 October 2016 in Singapore, under the Chairmanship of H.E. Lawrence Wong, Minister for National Development & Second Minister for Finance of Singapore. 

 Moving Towards 2025

2.            We were pleased with the successful implementation of the initiatives related to food, agriculture and forestry cooperation in supporting the completion of the Roadmap for the ASEAN Community (2009-2015) and the establishment of the ASEAN Community. We reiterated our commitments to intensify our cooperation to contribute to the realisation of the ASEAN Community 2025.  We tasked all Sectoral Working Groups under AMAF to implement the relevant measures in the ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together and the Strategic Plan for ASEAN Cooperation in Food, Agriculture and Forestry 2016-2025 (SP-FAF 2016-2025).

3.            To realise the strategic thrusts of the SP-FAF 2016-2025, we adopted the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the SP-FAF 2016-2025 and the respective Strategic Plans of Action (SPA) for ASEAN Cooperation in Livestock, Crops, Fisheries, SPS Measures and ASEAN Cooperation in Agricultural Cooperatives for the period 2016-2020, as well as the Strategic Plan of Action for ASEAN Cooperation in Forestry for 2016-2025. We noted the progress of streamlining the structure under AMAF and urged the Senior Officials to complete the process and present the outcomes to the AMAF for ad-referendum approval.  

Food Security  

4.            We noted the progress made in the implementation of the ASEAN Integrated Food Security (AIFS) Framework and Strategic Plan of Action on ASEAN Food Security (SPA-FS) 2015-2020, particularly the cross-sectoral coordination in ensuring supply of sufficient, affordable, safe and nutritious food through the development of the Matrix of Key Areas of Cooperation and Joint Activities for ASEAN Multi-sectoral Cooperation on Food Security and Nutrition.

Food Safety and Product Quality

5.            We were pleased with the progress and achievements made in the harmonisation of standards of foods, agriculture and forestry products in ASEAN to ensure safe and good quality agriculture produce and to facilitate ASEAN trade of these products. We endorsed the following documents: (i) Intra-ASEAN Phytosanitary Guidelines for mango and corn; (ii) Revised Principles of Harmonisation for the Establishment of ASEAN Maximum Residual Limits (MRLs); (iii) List of four ASEAN MRLs for selected agriculture produce; (iv) ASEAN Standards for Bitter gourd, Loofah, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Head Lettuce; and (v) ASEAN Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP) for Animal Welfare and Environmental Sustainability Module. We recalled that the ASEAN Food Safety Regulatory Framework (AFSRF) has been endorsed in order to enhance consumer health protection and facilitate movement of safe food in the region.

6.            We welcomed the full signing of the Agreement on the Establishment of ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Animal Health and Zoonoses (ACCAHZ), and looked forward to the establishment and operations of the Centre to provide and facilitate a unified approach and broader framework of regional coordination. We expressed our appreciation to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) for the valuable support extended in the establishment and eventual operations of ACCAHZ.

7.            Antimicrobial Resistance in Agriculture: Recognising the expansive and adverse impact of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in agriculture on public and animal health, livelihoods, food security and safety, we agreed to strengthen regional cooperation in AMR mitigation through: (i) Raising awareness and advocacy on AMR issues and promote the prudent use of antimicrobials; (ii) Enhancing capacities on surveillance, diagnosis and research on AMR and antimicrobial usage (AMU); (iii) Promote good animal husbandry practices and the development of viable alternatives; and (iv) Enhancing collaboration with relevant sectors and stakeholders including development partners and donor agencies.

Forestry

8.            We acknowledged the significant progress made in the forestry sector, particularly in (i) Promoting Sustainable Forest Management (SFM); (ii) International Forest Policy Processes; (iii) Timber Certification Initiative; (iv) Herbal and Medicinal as well as forest products development; (v) Wildlife Enforcement and CITES Cooperation; (vi) Forest and Climate Change; and (vii) Social Forestry.

​9.            Strengthening Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG): Recognising that effective FLEG would provide environmental, social and economic benefits to the region, further enhance the competitiveness of ASEAN forestry products in the global market and expand developmental opportunities for future generations, we emphasised the urgent need for effective co-operation in this area at the national, regional and international levels, particularly through:

  1. Strengthened efforts in preventing and combating illegal logging and its associated trade in timber and timber products through enhancing national forest policy and regulations and inter-agency coordination among enforcement agencies;
  2. Developing a regional framework for mutual recognition of timber legality system;
  3. Strengthening co-ordination of joint strategies, approaches and actions to seek greater market access and promote ASEAN forest products that are sourced legally;
  4. Strengthening collaboration on information exchange and technology transfer with all relevant stakeholders and international communities; and
  5. Adopting ASEAN common positions on issues related to timber legality and associated trade at international fora, where possible. 

     

10.          We adopted the Work Plan for Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in ASEAN 2016-2025, and mandated the ASEAN Senior Officials on Forestry (ASOF) to spearhead the implementation of the Work Plan in collaboration with other relevant ASEAN sectoral bodies and international partners. 

 Fisheries

11.          We are pleased with the progress made in the fishery sector, focusing on enhancing sustainable fisheries management, collaborative research, information and data exchange and collaboration between the public and private sectors. In this regard, we adopted the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action for the Management of Fishing Capacity (RPOA-Capacity) and Regional Guidelines on Traceability System for Aquaculture Products in the ASEAN Region.

12.          Cooperation in Combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing and enhancing the competitiveness of ASEAN Fish and Fishery products:Recognising serious threat of IUU fishing in the sustainability of the region's fisheries resources and economic viability, we agreed to: (i) Strengthen the Fisheries Monitoring, Control and Surveillance systems; (ii) Enhance traceability of fish and fishery products; (iii) Manage fishing capacity; (iv) Promote the implementation of Port State Measures; (v) Enhance regional cooperation in managing trans-boundary fisheries resources and combating IUU fishing; (vi) Regulate the quality and safety of fish and fishery products; (vii) Address issues on fisheries labour; and (viii) Develop preventive measures for the rehabilitation of resources and recovery of fish stocks. We recognised the importance of enhancing collaboration with regional/international organizations to implement these measures. In this regard, we noted the Joint ASEAN-SEAFDEC Declaration on Regional Cooperation for Combatting IUU Fishing issued on 3rd August 2016.

Cooperation with Dialogue Partners and International Organisations

13.          We were pleased that cooperation with ASEAN's Dialogue Partners, particularly Australia, China, Germany, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Russia, has been further strengthened in the areas of food security, food safety, products quality and trade facilitation of agriculture, fisheries and forestry products.

14.          We also appreciated the valuable support extended by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and World Economic Forum (WEF) – Grow Asia Partnerships for the implementation of the Strategic Plan for ASEAN Cooperation in Food, Agriculture and Forestry 2016-2025.

15.         We adopted the ASEAN Common Position, and agreed to enhance coordination, on agriculture issues in the upcoming 22nd Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-22) to the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in November 2016 in Marrakesh, Morocco.

            The 39thAMAF Meeting

16.          We agreed to convene the 39th ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Meeting in Thailand in 2017.

 17.          We expressed our sincere appreciation and gratitude to the Government and People of Singapore for hosting the 38th AMAF Meeting and for their warm hospitality and excellent arrangements made for the Meeting.​

 The Meeting was attended by:

i.  H.E. Dato Ali  Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, Brunei Darussalam

ii. H.E. Veng Sakhon, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Kingdom of Cambodia

iii. H.E Amran Sulaiman, Minister of Agriculture, Republic of Indonesia

iv.  H.E. Dr. Phouang Parisak Pravongviengkham, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Lao People's Democratic Republic

v.  H.E. Dato' Sri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry, Malaysia

vi.  H.E Dr. Aung Thu, Union Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, Republic of the Union of Myanmar

vii. H.E. Ariel Cayanan, Undersecretary for Operations of the Department of Agriculture, Republic of the Philippines

viii. H.E. Lawrence Wong, Minister for National Development & Second Minister for Finance, Republic of Singapore

xi.  H.E. General Chatchai Sarikulya, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kingdom of Thailand

​x.  H.E Ha Cong Tuan, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Socialist Republic of Viet Nam

xi   H.E. Lim Hong Hin, Deputy Secretary General of ASEAN​

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