Asean Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve 

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Dr. Choomjet Karnjanakesorn, General Manager (GM) of the APTERR Secretariat, was invited to attend the ‘ASEAN Conference on Strengthening Food Security’ on 17 April 2023 in Jakarta, Indonesia together with a number of government officials of the ASEAN Member States as well as representatives from the ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board (AFSRB) Secretariat, the ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS) Secretariat and ASEAN’s dialogue partners.

 

The conference aimed to solicit inputs from various stakeholders on core elements of the ASEAN Leader’s Declaration on Strengthening Food Security and Nutrition in Time of Crises and to explore policy recommendations for roles of all relevant sectors in enhancing regional food supply chains and logistics systems in time of crisis and unprecedented situation.

 

 

As one of ASEAN’s essential mechanisms on food security, Dr. Choomjet emphasised the crucial roles and activities of APTERR in providing rice assistance in time of adversity and alleviating poverty in the members. He also underlined the challenges and constraints for carrying on an implementation of the APTERR programmes. Nevertheless, the GM assured all participants that the APTERR has continually made tremendous efforts to improve its capability in giving a quick response to the emergency requirement through utilisising its Tier 1-3 programmes as well as new initiatives to safeguard food security in the region.

 

 

The outcomes of the conference will be utilised to develop the Declaration in outlining the ASEAN Commitments for rapid response to food security and nutrition in times of crisis and emergencies and building long-term resilience and sustainability of ASEAN Agriculture and Food Systems prior to a submission to the AECC/ASEAN Summit for adoption in September 2023.

 

 

 

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Dr. Choomjet underlined the APTERR roles and activities in providing a rapid response in time of emergency to the conference.

 

 

 

Photo credit: ASEAN Secretariat

 

 

 

 

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