Agriculture in Asean

Bangkok, Thailand, Nov 07: the 29th Summit of Asian Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) and the 7th Summit of Asian Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry plus 3 (China, Japan and Korean) (AMAF +3)were held from 1st to 3rd November 2007. Vietnam delegation was lead by Dr. Cao Duc Phat, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). In the Summits, Dr. Thira Sutabutra, the Minister of Thailand Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and Dr. Cao Duc Phat, the Minister of MARD were nominated to be the chairman and vice chairman respectively.

At the summits, the ministers stressed the importance of the agriculture, forestry and aquaculture cooperation within the framework of AMAF and AMAF+3 and requested to strengthen the regional cooperation in this field, especially application of new technology in line with the international standards in order to increase the position and the competitiveness of Asian agricultural products in both region and on the world so that an active and sustainable development Asian community can be formed.

The Ministers ratified key documents relevant to the standard harmonization of excess of amount of pesticide, standards for 3 big fruits (grapefruit, rambutan, and papaw), standard for vaccine, guided to determine and control the seafood safety danger during processing; recognized the Asian laboratory for veterinary testing, strengthened the control of epidemic disease of castle and aquaculture in the region; establishing Asian Shrimp Alliance; ratified the Asian bird flu control and clearance strategy for 2008-2010; kept on the forestry cooperation towards sustainable development, enhanced the forestry laws enforcement; Convention of International Trafficking of Extinction