The 34^th meeting of the ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board (AFSRB) convened in Vientiane, Laos, on June 5 with the participation of 36 delegates from the 10 member countries.

At the function, the officials heard progress reports on a programme ensuring regional food security, and the implementation of the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve and the ASEAN Food Security Information System.

An overview of the meeting

They reviewed the effectiveness of prioritised cash crops, such as rice, corn, cassava, soya beans and sugar cane in ensuring food security.

Participants discussed the role of the AFSRB and considered sharing more information on food and nutrition security in the region so as to narrow gaps between the countries.

They also tabled the principles of the ASEAN Integrated Food Security Plan and the Strategic Plan of Action on Food Security for the region in the 2015-2020 period.

Suggestions will be proposed at the Senior Officials Meeting of ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry (SOM-AMAF) this August.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.

(Source: VNA)