Committee on Food Agricultural and Forestry

ASEAN Food Security Reserve

Singapore was the fifth member country to deposit the instrument of ratification with the ASEAN Secretariat on 24 June 1980, and with this the ASEAN Food Security Reserve Agreement became operational. The First Meeting of the ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board (AFSRB) was held in Bangkok on 3-4 November 1980, and at this Meeting the terms and conditions for the holding of the ASEAN Rice Reserve was finalized. Among other things, the Board will take over the marketing aspects of rice formerly under the COOT Group on Rice which was dissolved. In this function, however, the Board will coordinate its activities with COTT.

ASEAN Pesticide Manufacturing Plant

In the context of the cooperative program on the supply and procurement of fertilizers and other agricultural inputs, which the ASEAN Ministers responsible for food and agriculture attach high priority, a proposed ASEAN Pesticide Manufacturing Plant is being jointly initiated by COFAF and COIME. A joint COFAF-COIME Team has drawn up the Terms of Reference of the Consultants for a feasibility study on the project, with the possibility of the US being approached for the financing of the study.

Projects under the ASEAN Common Agricultural Policy (ACAP)

Within the framework of the ACAP, adopted by the ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture in August 1979, the following three major undertakings were implemented:

(i) The Establishment of an ASEAN Common Quarantine Ring providing for common plant and animal protection for the ASEAN region. In this regard, and ASEAN Region Quarantine Training Institute (PLANTI) was established in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with US financial assistance, and holding its First Board of Directors Meeting on 6 January 198 1. On Animal Quarantine the ASEAN Animal Protection Programme Group had met several times and had reached agreement on a number of important issues in areas such as import regulations on animal and animal pro- ducts, and the control and eradication of animal diseases. On he proposed ASEAN Common Regional Animal Quarantine Centre, a team of Australian experts visited ASEAN member countries to conduct the pre-feasibility study in May 1981 and submit their report by June 19 8 1;

(ii) The Pooling of Research and Technology in the Agricultural field. In pursuance of this goal, machinery for such cooperation is being set up and areas of cooperation priority-listed;

(iii) The Sharing of Training and Extension Resources. The ASEAN Extension Directors had, on the basis of an inventory of existing facilities and capabilities, prepared a program for such cooperation among ASEAN countries. This program is committed to the improvement of the quality of life of the rural poor.

ASEAN Food Handling Centre

To facilitate its work the ASEAN Food Handling Sub-Committee established an ASEAN Food Handling Bureau (AFHB) in November 1980. This came into operation in January 1981 and a Record of Understanding for the administration of the AFHB was signed in April 1981 with Australia which funds the project under the ASEAN Australia Economic Cooperation Program (AAECP).

ASEAN Agricultural Development Planning Centre (ASEAN ADPC)

Pursuant to the Declaration of Objectives regarding the ASEAN ADPC signed by ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture in Chiangmai, Thailand, on 21 February 1980, the exchange of Notes on this project between Thailand and the US was effected on 28 June 1980 in Kuala Lumpur and the Project Grant Agreement for the Centre in Bangkok was signed on 28 August 1980. The Meeting of the Interim Board of Planners of the Centre was convened in Semarang on 2 September 1980 and a Director appointed. The First Meeting of the Board of Planners was held in Bandung, Indonesia on 4 May 1981.

New Project Proposals

In addition to the Animal Quarantine Centre, the Tenth AEM Meeting also approved the following projects for third country funding:

(i) ASEAN Extraction of Small Dimension Logs, with possible New Zealand Funding. This project, to be located in Malaysia, will cover a period of three years;

(ii) ASEAN Regional Seed Technology Centre, also with possible New Zealand Funding. This project, to be located in Thailand, aims at pro- moting the widespread use and production of high quality seeds by ASEAN farmers in the region. It is planned to cover a period of five year.

At the Fifth ASEAN-New Zealand Dialogue in Manila, New Zealand responded that it had no expertise in the former project proposal but that Ministerial approval in principle had been obtained on the latter project proposal.

The Eleventh AEM Meetint further approved two other projects:

(i) ASEAN-ESCAP Standardization of Grading Rules and Specification. T 'Ms is aimed at the establishment of an ASEAN Grading Rules for log and processed products;

(ii) Project Development, Monitoring and Evaluation. This project is aimed at the development of the capability of COFAF to identify, plan and develop its projects through the use of appropriateinformation, and effective monitoring and evaluation schemes.

For more information, please refer to the project details