The 5th Project Partner Meeting and related Meetings in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar from 2-4 December 2014

The 5th Project Partner Meeting and related Meetings in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar from 2-4 December 2014

Four Regional Meetings to Agree Step Forward in Addressing Food Security

Authors:
Pouchamarn Wongsanga
Duangruetai Surasakjinda

During 2-4 December 2014, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), GIZ together with the Department of Agriculture of Myanmar’s Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation organized the 5th Project Partner Meeting (PPM) of the “ASEAN Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS)”, The 6th Meeting of the ASEAN BCA Expert Groups on Application and Regulation, The 1st Meeting of the ASEAN Soil and Nutrient Management Expert Group, and The Dialogue on ASEAN Integrated Food Security (AIFS) Framework at in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.

Attended by over 60 participants from nine ASEAN Member States, with the exception of Brunei Darussalam, the meetings highlighted progress of activities and discussed strategies and project activities as step forward for activities implementation at regional and national levels from 2015-2017.

Overview of the implementation strategies of the ASEAN Sustainable Agrifood Systems

The 5th PPM agreed with the overall implementation strategies of SAS project outlining key activities and their linkages across the three intervention areas, namely policy framework, production technologies (i.e. biocontrol agents, soil and nutrient management), and market linkages. Project implementation strategies appears below.

The 5th PPM recognized that other GIZ partner projects could provide complementary support in the implementation of SAS Project. These projects include:

  • Forestry and Climate Change (FOR-CC) (Climate Smart Agriculture Component)
  • Better Rice Initiative Asia (BRIA)
  • ASEAN Food Standard
  • Remote sensing-based Information and Insurance for Crops in Emerging Economies (RIICE)

 Outcomes and Recommendations of the 6th Meeting of ASEAN BCA Expert Groups on Application and Regulation

The proposed activities and interventions namely, policy frameworks, implementation of production technologies, and market linkages were discussed and agreed. Complementing the interventions at national level for achieving the project goals of SAS, there are some regionally integrative elements that support the implementation of the AIFS and also relate to ASEAN standards like ASEAN Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Organic.

Outcomes and Recommendations of the 1st Meeting of ASEAN Soil and Nutrient Management (SNM) Expert Group

The Meeting agreed on the following.

  • Draft definition of the term “soil and nutrient management” for ASEAN Guidelines as “Soil and nutrient management is an integrated measure to manage soils, nutrients, water and crops in a sustainable manner to optimize crop production”;
  • The tentative scope of ASEAN Guidelines on SNM; and
  • To include general role concerning the bio-input database after the scope is defined.

Outcomes and Recommendations of the Dialogue on ASEAN Integrated Food Security (AIFS) Framework

The Dialogue discussed on what and how “ASEAN Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS)” can support ASEAN and ASEAN Member States. The recommendations for activities have been provided in relation to the two topics discussed i.e. a) Synergizing food security policy (national and regional) as well as develop and promote Sustainable Agrifood Systems; and b) Developing/promoting market linkages.

Challenges and Way Forward for the ASEAN Sustainable Agrifood Systems

  1. SAS project should give focus in the promotion of sustainable agrifood systems and how it will contribute to food security in ASEAN;
  2. Sustainable agrifood systems should target on GAP products by improving integrated pest management (through the use of bio-inputs), better soil and nutrient management, and market linkages. Organic products could be considered if they are considered high priority in the country(s);
  3. Policy dialogue on food and nutrition security at both regional and national levels are important to raise awareness on the AIFS Framework, linkages and contribution of sustainable agrifood systems to food security and other issues of importance (i.e. food trade, nutrition, etc.);
  4. Planning and implementation of SAS activities across intervention areas at both regional and national levels should be coordinated to ensure interlinkages, synergies and greater impacts; and
  5. Capacity development is considered a cross-cutting issue across intervention areas and should be designed and developed to suit the target groups and context.

 

Launching and handing over of the translation AIFS Framework and ASEAN BCA Guidelines

In conjunction with four meetings, the translation the ASEAN Integrated Food Security (AIFS) Framework and the ASEAN Guidelines on the Regulation, Use and Trade of Biological Control Agent (BCA) was launched and handed over to Head delegations from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Thailand for the implementation by the ASEAN Member States at national level.

ASEAN Integrated Food Security (AIFS) Framework and the Strategic Plan of Action on Food Security in the ASEAN region (SPA-FS)

The translation of AIFS Framework and SPA-FS has been accomplished for Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Thailand with a view to facilitating the implementation at the national level and promoting awareness and understanding among concerned stakeholders, which need multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder approaches and collaboration.

It is hoped that AIFS Framework provides a useful basis for mutual understanding on food security and the development of policies and strategies to improve food security situation at national level and contributes to ASEAN integration and community-building process.

ASEAN BCA Guidelines

The ASEAN Guidelines on the Regulation, Use and Trade of Biological Control Agent (BCA) describes ways to improve sustainable crop protection through more extended use of BCA in concert with the principles of “integrated pest management”. A working definition, focusing on BCA within the context of internationally-recognized IPM narratives. BCA encompass a wide range of products. It is acknowledged that they are not applicable to all pest management situations, so specific case studies, where application appears effective and feasible; regulations and how they might develop in future, with necessary improvements, rationalization and harmonization; and suggestions for improvement that integrate aspects of regulation and use of BCA in details are described in the Guidelines.

It is hope that the Guidelines provides an agreed framework for future development of BCA: specifically creating a regional blueprint for national regulation and implementation strategies.  In addition, harmonization of registration requirements would make regulation of BCA easier, less costly and promote their trade between ASEAN Member States.

ASEAN Biocontrol Strengthens the Capacity of the National Trainer Pool for Food Security and Nutrition in Cambodia

ASEAN Biocontrol Strengthens the Capacity of the National Trainer Pool for Food Security and Nutrition in Cambodia

The ASEAN Biocontrol Project and the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) jointly organized a three-day Refresher Training Course for the National Trainer Pool in PhnomPenh, Cambodia from April 23–25, 2013. The training is one of the project activities to support the implementation of the ASEAN Integrated Food Security (AIFS) Framework and its Strategic Plan of Action for Food Security (SPA-FS).

Aimed at strengthening the capacity of the National Trainer Pool for Food Security and Nutrition in Cambodia, the training introduced emerging topics in food security and nutrition such as climate change and social safety nets.

Additionally, the trainers were acquainted with the AIFS Framework, which is a joint approach for cooperation among the ASEAN member states in dealing with the food security issues in the region to ensure long-term food security and to improve the livelihoods of farmers. The AIFS Framework was adopted at the 14th ASEAN Summit in 2009.

The National Trainer Pool for Food Security and Nutrition, officially established in 2009, comprises members of government, development partners, institutions, civil society and NGOs.

The Trainer Pool, which is managed by CARD, plays a vital role in strengthening human resource development in the field of food security and nutrition in Cambodia. Eighteen trainers from the Pool actively participated in the three-day training.

A representative from the Department of Agriculture, Lao PDR also attended to learn how the Trainer Pool functions and exchange experiences. The Trainer Pool plans to organize 12 training sessions at the national, sub-national and community levels before the end of 2013.

The 5th (Joint) Meeting of the ASEAN BCA Expert Groups on Application and Regulation in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from 12 March 2014

The 5th (Joint) Meeting of the ASEAN BCA Expert Groups on Application and Regulation in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from 12 March 2014

The Fifth Meetings of the ASEAN BCA Expert Groups on Application and Regulation are jointly organized on 12 March 2014 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

ASEAN BCA Expert Groups on Application and Regulation convened to review the draft of the ASEAN Guidelines on the Regulation, Use and Trade of Biological Control Agents (BCA) which would be further submitted to the ASEAN Working Group on Crops (ASWGC) for approval.

The Experts discussed and provided comments on the ASEAN Guidelines and agreed to include a short message from Myanmar who recently participated in the Meeting of ASEAN BCA Expert Groups.

There are ongoing field trials in Cambodia and Thailand to evaluate the effectiveness of BCA for pest and disease management in which the progress on the field trials has been reported to the Meeting. The results from the field trials would also be incorporated into the ASEAN Guidelines.

The Expert Groups proposed to meet again after the endorsement of the ASEAN Guidelines.

4th Project Partner Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from 11-13 March 2014

4th Project Partner Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from 11-13 March 2014

ASEAN Sustainable Agrifood Systems (ASEAN Biocontrol) 4th Project Partner Meeting Highlights Achievements and Discusses 2nd Phase Project Prospects 

The Fourth Project Partner Meeting (PPM) of the ASEAN Sustainable Agrifood Systems (ASEAN Biocontrol) Project, the 4th Project Steering Committee Meeting and the 5th Meeting of the ASEAN BCA Expert Groups on Application and Regulation took place from 11-13 March 2014 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. More than 50 participants from ten ASEAN Member States and other partners attended the meeting. Mr. Adelbert Eberhardt, Country Director, GIZ Office Phnom Penh and Mrs. Birgit Strube, First Secretary, Deputy Head of Cooperation, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Phnom Penh represented GIZ and BMZ respectively and delivered the remarks. The meeting was opened by Dr. Hean Vanhan, Deputy Director General of the General Directorate of Agriculture on behalf of H. E. So Khan Rithykun, Director-General of the General Directorate of Agriculture, and Director of the National IPM Programme, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Cambodia. The PPM highlighted the project’s achievements and discussed the project’s future prospects in facilitating effective implementation of the 2nd Project Phase.

Back-to-back with the PCM, the 5th ASEAN BCA Expert Groups on Application and Regulation, and the 4th Project Steering Committee Meeting convened on 12 March 2014. The ASEAN BCA Expert Groups Meeting deliberated the final draft of the ASEAN Guidelines on the Regulation, Use and Trade of Biological Control Agents (BCA) prior to its submission for consideration and endorsement by the ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Crops (ASWGC). The Project Steering

Committee Meeting meanwhile considered and approved a number of key issues for project implementation.

On the last day of the meeting, MAFF organized a field trip for participants to Kandal province to visit the demonstration plots of cucumber and tomato farmers under Cambodia’s National Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Programme. The farmers applied Trichoderma, which is a biological control agent to control pests. The results were more satisfactory than in the plots using only chemical pesticides.

The objectives of the meetings were fulfilled with active deliberation and fruitful outcomes as well as follow-up actions for project implementation. The ASEAN Guidelines on the BCA will be submitted for endorsement to the 21st Meeting of the ASWGC in May 2014 in Cambodia. The events received special attention from the local media and were attended by a dozen reporters. The meetings were successfully organized by German International Cooperation (GIZ) in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Cambodia.

3rd Project Partner Meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam from 22 May 2013

3rd Project Partner Meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam from 22 May 2013

On May 22, 2013, ASEAN Biocontrol organized the 3rd Project Partner Meeting at Sofitel Plaza, Hanoi with support from the Plant Protection Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam. The purpose of the meeting, which was hosted by the Plant Protection Department, was to share an overview of project achievements and challenges, progress on the development of regional guidelines on BCA application, trade and use and the preliminary results of the Project Progress Review including the proposed project set-up of the second phase (2014–2017).

It also sought strategic guidance from the 3rd Steering Committee Meeting, which followed the Project Partner Meeting. ASEAN Biocontrol also held back-to-back meetings of the two Regional BCA (biocontrol agents) Expert Groups at the same venue. The Regional BCA Expert Group on Application met from May 19-21 to discuss the development of the regional guideline on BCA application and share country experiences and scientific evidence in plant protection with biological control.

Sequentially, the meeting of Regional BCA Expert Group on Regulation was organized from May 23-25. The experts held active discussions on botanical pest control products and the minimum requirements for the regional guideline on BCA regulation.

2nd Project Partner Meeting in Bali, Indonesia from 20-22 November 2012

2nd Project Partner Meeting in Bali, Indonesia from 20-22 November 2012

The ASEAN Biocontrol for Sustainable Agrifood  Systems Project organized its second project partner meeting in Indonesia from November 20-22, 2012. The meeting was hosted by Directorate General of Horticulture, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia. The objective of the meeting were to provide an update of what the been achieved over the last six month, establish two regional Expert Group ( for regulation and application of biocontrol agents or BCAs ) and develop regional guidelines on BCA application, use and trade as well as to seek strategic guidance in the 2nd Streeting Committee Meeting.

       Participants were treated to a special field trip organized and supported by the Indonesian Directorate General of Horticulture. The  group visited the Jatiluwih Organic red rice, which has received “Organik Indonesia” certification. The red rice plants are claimed to be naturally resistant to infestations of disease and parasites can grow up to 1.6 metres in height . The Jatiluwih red rice is rich in vitamins, minerals, folate and dietary fibre.