THE 46th MEETING OF THE ASEAN MINISTERS
ON AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY (46th AMAF MEETING) AND RELATED MEETINGS
Thursday, 24th October 2024
Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr. Awang Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, Brunei Darussalam attended the 46th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (the 46th AMAF Meeting) via video conference on Thursday, 24th October 2024. The 46th AMAF Meeting was chaired by His Excellency U Min Naung, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation of Myanmar.
During the 46th AMAF, 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, the implementation of sustainable and circular food, agriculture and forestry policies, which have been adopted by ASEAN.
The 46th AMAF meeting noted with satisfaction the progress of the implementation of the policy framework related to ASEAN Cooperation in food, agriculture and forestry sector in 2023-2024, which aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), positioning ASEAN as a responsible leader committed to environmental stewardship and social equity in the international arena. The Meeting also acknowledged 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.
Several initiatives have been developed by ASEAN to support the promotion of sustainable development practices in the ASEAN region to ensure food security, biodiversity protection, and mitigating the impacts of climate change, focusing on the development of guidelines on sustainable agriculture, crop burning reduction, mangrove ecosystem management and Carbon/GHG neutrality in the agriculture sector. Furthermore, the meeting also acknowledged and expressed gratitude on the support that has been provided by ASEAN’s partners in addressing issues related to climate change adaptation, reduction in the use of harmful agrochemicals and promotion of technology for sustainable agriculture.
Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr. Awang Haji Abdul Manaf, in his remarks during the meeting emphasised the importance of AMAF as a platform to address critical issue that resonates ASEAN collective goals in promoting sustainable agriculture and forest management, through adoption of strategies to enhance productivity whilst safeguarding the region’s natural resources. Furthermore, the Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism also acknowledged the important role of the utilization of digital technologies in enhancing sustainable agriculture and food systems. Yang Berhormat Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism also shared Brunei Darussalam’s efforts in implementing sustainable agriculture through the adoption of regenerative agriculture to improve soil health, which not only enhance agricultural sustainability but also improve food security, foster economic resilience, and promote ecological health.
On the following day, the Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism also attended the 24th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Plus Three (The 24th AMAF Plus Three) and the 8th ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting in Agriculture and Forestry (The 8th AIMMAF).
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 ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry (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.
Also present during the meetings were Permanent Secretary, Deputy Permanent Secretaries and Senior Officers from the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism.
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Prepared by:
46th AMAF Secretariat Brunei Darussalam
Date: 24th October 2024