ASEAN Ministerial Meeting Held at Shangri-La

 | Mon 2 Oct 2017 10:24 ICT

CityNews – Chiang Mai hosted the 39th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) with the Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand acted as a president of the meeting.

The 39th AMAF took place at Shangri-La Hotel Chiang Mai between September 25th to 30th with senior officers meeting on 25th to 27th, the ministerial meeting on 28th to 29th and a field trip to Huai Hong Krai Royal Development Study Center on the 30th.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Air Chief Marshal Dr. Prajin Juntong said at the meeting that agriculture is a key factor for the success of the ASEAN Community which is the largest agriculture producer and the biggest agriculture product exporter in the world. To pursue the goal of the ASEAN Community Strategic Plan 2025, a co-operation in the food, agriculture, and forestry sectors are needed to enhance the competitive advantage of the ASEAN Community and to strengthen the community in order to face the challenges to come including the uncertain weather, economic disturbances, the changing of population structure, the lack of human resources in agriculture and such.

The aim of the meeting is to set agriculture commodity and food safety standards that could be adapted on the national level and to push the ASEAN Common Fisheries Policy. Thailand also presented the royal duties of His Majesty the Late King Rama IX and His Majesty King Rama X on agriculture which has successfully improved many citizens’ lives.

The participants include the representatives from 10 countries, Brunei, Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippine, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand plus the Secretary-General of ASEAN and representative from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).