The Strategic Plan of Action
in Food, Agriculture, and Forestry
In the area of agriculture and food security, what
has the ASEAN done? The ten ASEAN member
economies of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia,
Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar,
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam have
established a strategic plan of action for cooperation
in food, agriculture, and forestry. Seven priority
areas of cooperation have been identified which
include strengthening food security2
in the region;
facilitating and promoting intra- and extra-ASEAN
trade in agriculture, fishery, and forestry products;
technology generation and transfer; and private
sector involvement and investment, among others.
Sectoral action programs were endorsed which
cover policy coordination, research, technology
transfer, production, marketing, and investment
promotion. These strategic measures undertaken
were intended to help facilitate the realization of the
ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and strengthen
the ASEAN collective position in international
forums through the coordination of joint approaches
on international and regional issues relating to food