1. The ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry and the Ministers of the People’s Republic of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea held their fifth meeting in Tagaytay City, Philippines, 30 September 2005 under the chairmanship of H.E Mr. Domingo F. Panganiban, Secretary of Agriculture, the Philippines.
2. The Ministers expressed satisfaction on the steady progress and encouraged a speedy implementation of joint activities in agriculture, fisheries and forestry that have been carried out between China, Japan and the Republic of Korea and ASEAN in the various areas aiming to broadening and deepening Plus Three cooperation.
3. The Ministers of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea noted the activities of the Vientiane Action Programme (VAP) and expressed their full support to the implementation of the VAP. They agreed to strengthen their efforts in assisting ASEAN to narrow the development gaps within ASEAN, and between ASEAN and the Plus Three countries, particularly in the areas of agriculture, fisheries and forestry.
4. The Ministers recognized the necessity for conserving the natural environment; preserving the social and cultural tradition of rural communities while promoting a sustainable development in agriculture, forestry and fishery sectors. Moreover, the Ministers recognised that agriculture, which is the foundation of each and every society, should be maintained and developed to secure a stable supply of safe foods to their own peoples.
5. The Ministers noted the good progress made in conducting the activities of the pilot project in the East Asian Emergency Rice Reserve (EAERR). Following the Ministers’ agreement in principle last year on the mobilization of the existing national stock earmarked for the Asia Emergency Rice Reserve under the ASEAN Food Security Reserve Agreement, Countries are at various stages in their internal consultation to determine their allocation for the reserve stocks for the EAERR. The Ministers also agreed to emphasize the importance of converting the EAERR into a permanent scheme on a voluntary basis following an evaluation of the pilot project. This will help in quick response to food needs following devastating disasters such as the tsunami affecting the Indian Ocean rim countries in 2004.
6. The Ministers also welcomed the Poverty Alleviation and Malnourishment Eradication Projects that have been initiated in an ASEAN Member Country. The objective of these projects is to provide food assistance to strengthen household food security, as well as to contribute to rice price stability in the region, or more specifically in a country. This is to be done through utilizing the unused stockpiled emergency rice reserve for a particular year.
7. The Ministers recognized the contribution of the ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS) with respect to promoting the concept of regional food security and the importance of continued improvement in the details of food security data and information among ASEAN Member Countries and in the region. Capacity building activities throughout the region has improved cooperation in this area. The Ministers also agreed with the necessity to continue the projects after the implementation period.
8. The Ministers deliberated on the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreaks which has become an important problem that requires an all out coordinated regional effort. In this regard the Ministers welcomed the Regional Framework for Control and Eradication of HPAI in ASEAN endorsed by the 27th AMAF. Towards this end the HPAI task force will work closely with the international organizations such as FAO, OIE and WHO.
9. The Ministers confirmed the deforestation and degradation of forests in Asian regions continues to be a critical problem. They affirmed the need for continuing cooperation and effective implementation of activities in the area of illegal logging, control of forest fires, and rehabilitation and reforestation of degraded lands to achieve sustainable forest management and to conserve forest ecosystems in collaboration with the international organization and the regional initiatives such as the Asia Forest Partnership.
10. The Ministers agreed to have their sixth meeting in Singapore in 2006.
11. The Ministers noted that the Eighth ASEAN and People’s Republic of China, Japan and Republic of Korea Summit will be held in 13 December 2005 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, during which the highlights of the Fifth Meeting of AMAF Plus Three will be reported.
12. The Ministers expressed their sincere appreciation to the Government and people of the Philippines for the warm hospitality and excellent arrangements made for the Meeting.
The Meeting was attended by:
H.E Pehin Dato Dr. Awang Haji Ahmad bin Haji Jumat, Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Brunei Darussalam
H.E. Dr. Chan Sarun, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Cambodia
H.E. Dr. Anton Apriyantono, Minister of Agriculture, Indonesia
H.E. Dr. Siene Saphangthong, Minister of Agriculture & Forestry, Lao PDR
H.E. Dato’ Seri Haji Mohd. Shariff bin Haji Omar, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry, Malaysia
H.E. Major General Htay Oo, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Myanmar
H.E. Mr. Domingo F. Panganiban, Secretary of Agriculture, the Philippines
H.E. Mr. Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National Development, Singapore
H.E. Mr. Charal Trinvuthipong, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand
H.E. Dr. Bui Ba Bong, Vice 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. Takayuki TSUNEDA, Senior Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan
H.E. Mr. Lee, Myung-soo, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Republic of Korea
H.E. Dr. Wilfrido V. Villacorta, ASEAN Deputy Secretary – General
