Special SOM-45th AMAF Agrees To Expedite Strategic Plan For Food, Agriculture And Forestry Cooperation

JOHOR BAHRU, Aug 8 (Bernama) -- The Special Senior Officials Meeting of the 45th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (Special SOM-45th AMAF) has agreed to expedite the development of the ASEAN Post-2025 Vision and Strategic Plan for Cooperation on Food, Agriculture and Forestry.

The two-day meeting concluded at a hotel here yesterday.

Malaysian Agriculture and Food Security Ministry secretary-general Datuk Lokman Hakim Ali, who chaired the meeting, encouraged all ASEAN member states to expedite work on the development of a robust Post-2025 Vision and Strategic Plan.

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In a statement, the ministry said this crucial work is not merely a forward-looking exercise but also a strategic imperative that will shape the future of ASEAN’s food security, agricultural resilience and environmental sustainability. 

“The Strategic Plan will include emerging issues such as digitalisation in agriculture and other innovative practices that address both regional and global trends,” it said.

The ministry said that during the meeting, 13 Working Groups under the SOM-AMAF’s purview reported their work and the progress of their sectoral cooperation activities covering food, agriculture and forestry, trade in agriculture and forest products. 

“The reports of these meetings were successfully endorsed by the SOM-AMAF,” it said.

It said Malaysia delivered the reports for five out of the 13 Working Groups, including the 12th Meeting of ASEAN SPS Contact Points, 13th Meeting of Steering Committee on Climate Change and Food Security and the First Governing Board Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Animal Health and Zoonoses (ACCAHZ).

Malaysia also delivered the reports for the 32nd Meeting of ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Fisheries (ASWGFI) and the 30th Meeting of ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Training and Extension (AWGATE). 

It said the main deliverables under the working groups chaired by Malaysia include but are not limited to implementing the electronic phytosanitary certificates in ASEAN; improving the capacities of pesticide residue analysis; undertaking measures and initiatives using digital technologies and decarbonisation methods to address the impact of climate change in the crops, fisheries and livestock sectors; and establishing a centre for animal health and zoonoses in Malaysia.

The ministry said Malaysia also tabled its proposed Priority Economic Deliverables (PEDs) in conjunction with Malaysia’s AMAF Chairmanship of 45th AMAF with the theme “Growing Together: Advancing ASEAN Agriculture and Forestry for Sustainable Development” and the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025. 

It said the two proposed PEDs, tabled by Malaysia and supported for further work by the SSOM-45th AMAF, were the Development of Outlook for ASEAN Agriculture and Forestry; and the Development of the Plan of Action on Food Security (2026-2030). 

“These PEDs were well received by other ASEAN member states and were described as critical documents that would steer the outlook of the agriculture and forestry sector for the next five years as well as for mitigating the adverse impact of climate change on food security within the region,” it added.

-- BERNAMA