MANILA – The ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) have pledged to strengthen regional trade and cooperation by improving supply chains, adopting climate-smart agricultural practices, and building more resilient food production systems.

During a press briefing at the 47th AMAF meeting on October 2, Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said ASEAN Member States (AMS) reached a consensus to prioritize sustainable land and water management and the integration of environmentally sound practices to maintain productivity while protecting ecosystems.

Tiu Laurel, who chairs this year’s AMAF, also emphasized the ministers’ united support for advancing digital and smart agriculture to boost food output. He announced two key initiatives that will be prioritized through 2026 and beyond — the ASEAN Implementation Plan for Regenerative and Resilient Agriculture Systems as a Priority Economic Deliverable (PED) and the ASEAN One Billion Trees Growing Programme Initiative as an AMAF Key Annual Priority.

“This meeting strengthens ties among ASEAN countries. In times of market disruptions or emergencies, we can depend on one another to stabilize the prices of agricultural goods and ensure market balance,” Tiu Laurel said.

Meanwhile, the ASEAN Plus Three partners — the People’s Republic of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea — reaffirmed their cooperation through nine strategic areas focusing on:

• Strengthening food security, including emergency reserves such as the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR);
• Biomass energy development;
• Sustainable forest management;
• Climate change mitigation and adaptation;
• Management of animal diseases and plant pests;
• Capacity-building and human resource development;
• Enhancing productivity, quality, and marketability of agricultural products;
• Information and knowledge sharing; and
• Research and development collaboration.

In line with regional integration efforts, AMS also expressed support for Timor-Leste’s full membership in ASEAN. Tiu Laurel said Timor-Leste’s inclusion would strengthen the region’s agricultural cooperation, adding that the Philippines is ready to support the new member through capacity-building programs, research collaboration, and livestock development assistance.