PUTRAJAYA: ASEAN member states have been urged to intensify collaboration under ASEAN platforms to address challenges and seize opportunities in the agriculture and forestry sectors.
The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry emphasised this call during the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry meeting held in Manila yesterday.
Malaysia’s delegation to the meeting was led by Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu.
AMAF serves as a scheduled meeting that discusses emerging issues related to agriculture and forestry.
The meeting particularly focuses on strengthening the commitment of ASEAN member countries toward regional cooperation on food security, agriculture and forestry.
Participants unanimously agreed to adopt the ASEAN Food, Agriculture and Forestry-Sectoral Plan 2026-2030 as the primary reference document for these sectors over the next five years.
ASEAN member states further endorsed two Priority Economic Deliverables under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2025 commitments for the food, agriculture and forestry sectors.
These deliverables include the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on the Vision for Food, Agriculture, and Forestry Towards 2045.
The second deliverable is the ASEAN Framework for Cooperation in Food, Agriculture, and Forestry Sector Towards 2045.
Both documents will be tabled for adoption at the ASEAN Summit to be held in Kuala Lumpur from October 26 to 28, 2025.
Mohamad also held bilateral meetings with the host country, the Philippines, and Japan during the event.
These discussions focused on potential areas of agricultural cooperation that could be expanded for mutual benefit. – Bernama