The ASEAN Sustainable Agrifood Systems ‘6th Project Partner Meeting and related meetings’ were recently organized in Vientiane, Lao PDR to mark its mid-term milestone and discuss emerging issues and challenges to food security, including environment and climate changes in order to develop the post 2015 strategies for the project activities in securing sustainable food production in the ASEAN region. The events were co-hosted by the Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Lao PDR. About 60 participants from civil society, private sector, and research institutions of ASEAN Member State countries attended the event.
The 6th Project Partner Meeting was organized back-to-back with the 3rd Meeting of the ASEAN Soil and Nutrient Management Expert Group and the 7th Meeting of the ASEAN Bio Control Agents Expert Groups on Application and Regulation from 17-20 November 2015. A field trip to the Clean Agriculture Development Center of the Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Lao PDR was also combined with the event.
ASEAN Sustainable Agrifood Systems (ASEAN SAS) project, since the inception of the 2nd phase in 2014, has implemented activities under three intervention areas namely policy framework, production technologies and market linkages to encourage regional cooperation in promoting sustainable food production at the national level as well as enhancing synergies and boosting greater impact in respective countries. The project objective is to enable the ASEAN Member States to implement the ASEAN Integrated Food Security (AIFS) Framework at the national level.
ASEAN SAS aims to enhance capacity of ASEAN countries on sustainable food production and to promote sustainable agrifood systems, which contribute towards food security. At national level, the Project has been working closely with the Member States to implement the ASEAN Guidelines on the Regulation, Use and Trade of Biological Control Agents. In addition, experts from the ten Member States are actively engaging in the development of new regional guidelines on soil and nutrient management.
The Ministerial Statement on Food Security and Nutrition at the 37th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) held on 10 September 2015 noted key challenges to the sustainable food security in ASEAN region. The Statement recognised the importance in strengthening the regional as well as global cooperation and partnerships for achieving food security and nutrition particularly through engaging civil society, private sector, and research institutions.
In addition, in achieving sustainable agrifood systems, it requires close collaboration among stakeholders along the value chain, including governments, farmers, civil society, consumers, and last but not least, the private sector. ASEAN SAS has been cooperating with a number of private associations and companies in implementing pilot measures to develop business models of sustainable agrifood systems to incorporate best practices into the policy advisory processes.
Welcome to the ‘6th Project Partner Meeting and related meetings’ in Lao PDR
ASEAN Sustainable Agrifood Systems project director Dr. Matthias Bickel gives his warm welcome speech at the ‘6th Project Partner Meeting and related meetings’ in Lao PDR.
Delegates from Malaysia atthe ‘6th Project Partner Meeting and related meetings’ in Lao PDR
Delegate from Indonesia (left) exchanges a conversation with delegate from Brunei at the 3rd Meeting of the ASEAN Soil and Nutrient Management Expert Group.
Delegate from Singapore (right) discusses about soil and nutrient management contents to be developed for the ASEAN Guidelines on Soil and Nutrient Management.
ASEAN Sustainable Agrifood Systems bag!
Delegate from Brunei (left) speaks about biological control use in the country at the 7th Meeting of the ASEAN Biocontrol Agent Expert Groups on Application and Regulation together with delegate from Vietnam (left).
Delegates from Thailand takes part in the 7th Meeting of the ASEAN Biocontrol Agent Expert Groups on Application and Regulation.
Delegates from Lao PDR, the co-host country.
Delegates from Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei works in group to prepare a presentation on biological control of their countries.
Working in progress
Group work to be presented at the 7th Meeting of the ASEAN Biocontrol Agent Expert Groups on Application and Regulation
Delegates from Cambodia at the Meeting of the ASEAN Biocontrol Agent Expert Groups on Application and Regulation
Thai delegates discuss with ASEAN SAS expert on biological plant protection (middle).
Delegate from Philippines presents on biological control activities in the country.
Delegate from Brunei (right) listens to the group discussion on soil and nutrient management for the preparation of the ASEAN Guidelines on Soil and Nutrient Management.
Delegates from ASEAN member countries visit the Clean Agriculture Development Center of the Department of Agriculture in Lao PDR.
Staff at the Clean Agriculture Development Center
Lao media joins a field trip with delegates from ASEAN member countries at the Clean Agriculture Development Center in Lao PDR.
Staff at a demo plot at the Clean Agriculture Development Center
Staff at a demo plot at the Clean Agriculture Development Center II
Vegetables grow at the Clean Agriculture Development Center.
Demo plot at the Clean Agriculture Development Center
Delegate from Thailand takes a picture of vegetable at the Clean Agriculture Development Center.
Private biological control company representative from Thailand also joins the field trip at the Clean Agriculture Development Center.
Staff at the Clean Agriculture Development Center II
ASEAN SAS soil and nutrient expert (right) and delegate from Vietnam
Delegate from ASEAN member countries visits Good Agriculture Practice (GAP) vegetable farm in Lao PDR.
Lao media joins the ASEAN SAS field trip at the GAP vegetable farm.
Vegetables at the GAP vegetable farm in Lao PDR
Staff at the GAP farm waters vegetables.
Vegetables at the GAP vegetable farm in Lao PDR II
Before sunset at the GAP vegetable farm, Lao PDR
Mr. Xaypladeth Choulamany, Director General of the Department of Planning and Cooperation, and SOM-AMAF Leader for Lao PDR gives an official opening speech at the ‘6th Project Partner Meeting in Lao PDR.
Mr. Dian Sukmajaya, Delegate from ASEAN Secretariat gives welcoming remarks at the ‘6th Project Partner Meeting.
Dr. Matthias Bickel, Project Director of ASEAN SAS updates on the progress of the ASEAN SAS.
Mr. Khamtanh Thadavong, Deputy Director General of Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agricultural and Forest (right) sits with Mr. Xaypladeth Choulamany, Director General of the Department of Planning an
Lao media interviews the Deputy Director General of the Department of Agriculture, Lao PDR at the ‘6th Project Partner Meeting.
Lao delegate takes a photo of ASEAN SAS project director.
Delegate from Philippines presents the updates of ASEAN SAS activities in Philippines at the ‘6th Project Partner Meeting.
Delegates from Vietnam and Singapore listen to the presentations of the ASEAN member country experts.
Delegates from Philippines at the ‘6th Project Partner Meeting
Delegates from Brunei
Delegates from Indonesia
Delegates from Vietnam
Soil and nutrient experts from ASEAN member countries take a group photo at the ‘6th Project Partner Meeting in Lao PDR.
