Under the theme ‘ASEAN Beyond 2015: Collaboration for Equitable Growth’, working groups will make recommendations aiming to form a more sustainable future for food and agriculture in the ASEAN bloc.
In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh emphasised the need to boost co-operation and investment among ASEAN countries in building sustainable agriculture aiming to meet an increasing demand for sustainably produced commodities.
Vietnam has been utilising the public-private partnership (PPP) model in many agricultural commodities, which has brought about positive outcomes including raising productivity and incomes, and reducing water consumption and waste, Doanh said. About 500,000 Vietnamese farmers will participate in PPP projects by 2017, he added.
Doanh also expressed his hope that via the forum, enterprises would intensified their co-operation through the PPP model, which he said would significantly increase agricultural productivity, ensure food security and enhance the competitiveness of ASEAN’s farming products in the world market.
According to Vu Tien Loc, Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), agricultural development is being threatened by urbanisation, pollution, environmental degradation, climate change and increasing population, requiring innovative approaches to farming.
He highlighted the key role played by enterprises in connecting and promoting sustainable agricultural development through hi-tech and quality production models and close ties with farmers in key value chains.
During the two-day forum, deputies will produce actionable recommendations to increase the global supply of sustainably produced commodities such as tea, rice, coffee, dairy and aquaculture, while improving farmer livelihoods and reducing environmental impacts.
