1. The ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry and the Ministers of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea held their Eight Meeting in Hanoi on 24 October 2008, under the chairmanship of H.E. Dr. Cao Duc Phat, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Viet Nam.
2. The Ministers from the Plus Three Countries (People’s Republic of China, Japan and Republic of Korea) expressed their firm support in further strengthening cooperation in food, agriculture, and forestry towards the realisation of the ASEAN Community. The Ministers also agreed to address the need for technical assistance in narrowing development gaps in particular to accelerating integration of agriculture. The Ministers also encouraged continued cooperation in alleviating poverty and promoting human development activities and in implementing AMAF Plus Three activities.
3. In light of recent volatility in food and energy prices, the Ministers expressed their support to further strengthen food security under the ASEAN Plus Three cooperation. The Ministers recognised that food security as a key factor for sustained economic and social development in the region while each country needs to maximize the use of its own potential resources and achieve greater agricultural production.
4. The Ministers reaffirmed the need for conserving the natural environment and preserving the social and cultural tradition of rural communities while promoting a sustainable development in the agriculture, forestry and fishery sectors and the stability of food supply.
5. The Ministers agreed to strengthen and accelerate the implementation of the East Asia Emergency Rice Reserve (EAERR) Pilot Project activities, which is designed to respond to the humanitarian needs for such emergencies due to disasters. The Ministers agreed to extend the EAERR Pilot Project for one more year until 28 February 2010.
6. The Ministers welcomed the steady progress of new activities in the second-phase of ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS) Project.
7. The Ministers endorsed new project proposals from the Plus Three Countries, which aim to build capacity in various aspects such as food security, agricultural statistical analysis, food safety and standards, post-harvest management, plant quarantine, and agricultural extension, as well as to promote sustainable biomass utilization.
8. The Ministers agreed to have their Ninth Meeting in Brunei Darussalam in 2009. The Ministers expressed their sincere appreciation to the Government and People of Viet Nam for the warm hospitality and excellent arrangements made for the Meeting.
The Meeting was attended by:
H.E. Pehin Dato Yahya, Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Brunei Darussalam
H.E. Mr. Chan Tong Yves, Secretary of State of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Cambodia
H.E. Dr. Anton Apriyantono, Minister of Agriculture, Indonesia
H.E. Mr. Sitaheng Rasphone, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Lao PDR
H.E. Dato’ Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry, Malaysia
H.E. Major General Htay Oo, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Myanmar
H.E. Dr. Segfredo R. Serrano, Undersecretary, Department of Agriculture, Philippines
H.E. Dr. Mohamad Maliki bin Osman, Parliamentary Secretary for National Development, Singapore
H.E. Mr. Somphat Kaewpijit, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand
H.E. Dr. Cao Duc Phat, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Viet Nam
H.E. Mr. Niu Dun, Vice Minister of Agriculture, People’s Republic of China
H.E. Mr. Tetsuro Nomura, Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan
H.E. Mr. Park, Deok Bae, Vice Minister of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of Korea
Mr. S. Pushpanathan, Principal Director, Bureau for Economic Integration and Finance, ASEAN Secretariat, representing H.E. Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN
