Philippines Participates as Vice-Chair in the 46th ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Meeting and Related Meetings

The Department of Agriculture, led by Undersecretary Alvin John F. Balagbag, participated in three Ministerial Meetings on food, agriculture, and forestry from 22-25 October 2024. These included the 46th ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (46th AMAF), the 24th ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Plus Three (China, Japan, and Korea; 24th AMAF +3), and the 8th ASEAN-India Ministers’ Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry (8th AIMMAF). The meetings, chaired by Myanmar, were held virtually.

The 46th AMAF Meeting reaffirmed ASEAN’s commitment to promoting cooperation in the food, agriculture, and forestry sectors. The ASEAN Member States (AMS) expressed appreciation to the Senior Officials and the Working Groups for the progress on the implementation of the key deliverables for 2024. These include the Priority Economic Deliverables (PED) under the recently concluded ASEAN Chairmanship of Lao PDR: the ASEAN Leaders Declaration on Promoting Sustainable Agriculture, the Action Plan for Sustainable Agriculture in ASEAN, the AMAF Statement on Crop Burning Reduction in ASEAN, and the ASEAN Guidelines for Crop Burning Reduction.

In his remarks, Undersecretary Balagbag emphasized that the endorsement of these documents signifies a unified vision among the region’s stakeholders, underscoring a collective commitment to advancing sustainable agricultural practices. This concerted effort is aimed at tackling both current and emerging agricultural challenges, ensuring the long-term viability and resilience of the region’s agricultural sector.

The 46th AMAF Meeting identified several key priority areas for collaboration in the coming years and encouraged the relevant ASEAN Sectoral Working Groups to continue their efforts in implementing vital initiatives concerning food, agriculture, and forestry. These initiatives include:

– Promoting sustainable agriculture through the Action Plan on Sustainable Agriculture.
– Minimizing crop burning reduction in the region through the implementation of the ASEAN Guidelines on Crop Burning Reduction.
– Reducing the use of harmful agrochemicals and eliminating crop burning.
– Advancing Nature-based Solutions/Ecosystem-based