Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin acknowledged the important role of utilising digital technologies in enhancing sustainable agriculture and food systems during the 46th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (46th AMAF) via video conference on Thursday.
He also shared the Sultanate’s efforts in implementing sustainable agriculture through the adoption of regenerative agriculture to improve soil health, which not only enhances agricultural sustainability but also improves food security, fosters economic resilience, and promotes ecological health.
Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf also emphasised the importance of AMAF as a platform to address critical issues that resonate with ASEAN collective goals in promoting sustainable agriculture and forest management, through the adoption of strategies to enhance productivity while safeguarding the region’s natural resources.
The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation of Myanmar U Min Naung chaired the meeting, in which the ASEAN ministers recognised the importance of sustainable agriculture, sustainable forest management, decarbonisation, and digitalisation in the ASEAN region.
The meeting also urged all stakeholders, including academia, international organisations and the private sector to work with the ASEAN member states, through the ASEAN Secretariat, on implementing sustainable and circular food, agriculture and forestry policies, which have been adopted by ASEAN.
The 46th AMAF meeting noted the progress of the implementation of the policy framework related to ASEAN Cooperation in the food, agriculture and forestry sector in 2023-2024, which aligns with Sustainable Development Goals.
ASEAN has launched initiatives to promote sustainable development, focusing on food security, biodiversity protection, and climate impact reduction. These include guidelines on sustainable agriculture, reducing crop burning, managing mangrove ecosystems, and achieving carbon neutrality in agriculture.
The meeting also expressed gratitude for ASEAN partners’ support in climate adaptation, reducing harmful agrochemicals, and promoting sustainable agriculture technology.
The minister also attended the 24th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Plus Three (24th AMAF Plus Three) and the 8th ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting in Agriculture and Forestry (8th AIMMAF) yesterday.
The 24th AMAF Plus Three commended the accomplishments made in the implementation of the ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Strategy (APTCS) for the period of 2016-2025 in several key areas related to sustainable agriculture, good agricultural practices, the integration and use of digital technologies, enhancement of human resource development and capacity building, strategies for adapting to and mitigating climate change and sustainable forest management reforestation initiatives.
The 8th AIMMAF acknowledged the significant progress in the implementation of the Medium-term Plan of Action of the ASEAN-India Cooperation in Agriculture and Forestry (2021-2025), through the promotion of investment, development of human resources in the food, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sub-sectors by providing opportunities for the youth of ASEAN, and enhance the resilience of natural systems while improving the adaptive capacities of human communities to cope with environmental hazards. – Daniel Lim
