The 30th Meeting of AMAF

23 October 2008, Hanoi

JOINT PRESS STATEMENT

1. The 30th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) was held in Hanoi, Viet Nam on 23 October 2008 under the Chairmanship of H.E. Dr. Cao Duc Phat, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Viet Nam.

Addressing the issue of Food Security

2. With the recent developments of soaring food prices, global financial crisis and an increasing concern on food security in the ASEAN region, the Ministers discussed the socio-economic impacts on food, agriculture and forestry sectors in ASEAN. The Ministers agreed that ASEAN needs to take a strategic and comprehensive approach and apply concrete policy measures in promoting and maintaining regional food security catering to the long-term need and potential emergency situation through increased food production and innovation, while ensuring market efficiency and regional integration process and trading mechanism.

3. The ministers stressed the need to strike the balance between ensuring long-term food security and improving livelihoods of farmers in the region. Due consideration should also be given in addressing the increased prices of agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, chemical, etc. Towards this end, the Ministers adopted a comprehensive ASEAN integrated Food Security (AIFS) Framework and its medium-term Strategic Plan of Action on ASEAN Food Security (SPA-FS). The Ministers agreed to submit the AIFS and SPA-FA for adoption at the 14th ASEAN Summit in December 2008.

4. With the view to ensure effective implementation of the AIFS Framework and the SPA-FS, the Ministers welcomed the collaboration of regional Dialogue Partners and International Organizations in this cooperative effort. The Ministers also supported the IRRI’s Rice Action Plan and urged close cooperation and partnership among regional and international organizations in addressing food security in the region.

Towards ASEAN Community and Regional Integration

5. The Ministers reaffirmed the pivotal role of food, agriculture, and forestry sectors in ensuring food security and safety as well as in expediting the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) with market competitiveness of the products. Towards the realization of ASEAN Community, the Ministers agreed to further strengthen capacity building, use modern technology, and adopt international standards and practices.

6. The Ministers expressed satisfaction on the progress made in food, agriculture and forestry sectors. The Ministers further endorsed the following ASEAN standards and plan:

a) ASEAN Phytosanitary (PS) Guidelines for the Importation of Rice-Milled;
b) ASEAN harmonised Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for 9 pesticides;
c) ASEAN Harmonised Standards for Guava, Lansium, Mandarin, Mangosteen and Watermelon;
d) ASEAN Standard Requirements for Inactivated E. coli Vaccine for Poultry, Live Swollen Head Syndrome vaccine, Inactivated Porcine parvovirus vaccine, Inactivated Porcine Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccine, and Porcine Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae bacterin;
e) ASEAN Criteria for Accreditation of Meat Processing Establishment; and
f) Work Plan for Strengthening Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) in ASEAN (2008-2015).

Responding to the Impact of Climate Change

7. In view of the concern on the impact of global warming on the environment and human life, the ministers welcomed the new initiative on “ASEAN strategy in Addressing the Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry”. The ministers reiterated the commitments to pursue regional approach and strategic plan of action to identify measures dealing with mitigation and adaptation to climate change on agriculture, fisheries and forestry.

Towards Sustainable Forest Management

8. The Ministers commended the expeditious effort towards the attainment of sustainable forest management and significant progress made, in particular, in the development of Monitoring, Assessment and Reporting for ASEAN Criteria and Indicators for sustainable management of tropical forests, the completion of Work Plan for strengthening FLEG in ASEAN, and implementation of the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) activities in the region.


Stronger Partnership with Dialogue Partners and International Organizations

9. The Ministers noted the progress made in regional cooperative activities over the past years and expressed appreciation for the assistance and support, rendered by various dialogue partners and international organizations, among others: Australia, China, Germany, Japan, Republic of Korea, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), World Animal Health Organization (OIE), and the Southeast Asia Fisheries Development Centre (SEAFDEC).


31st AMAF Meeting

10. The ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry will meet in Brunei Darussalam in 2009.

11. The Ministers from other ASEAN Member Countries expressed their sincere appreciation to the Government and People of Viet Nam for hosting the 30th AMAF Meeting and for their warm hospitality.


LIST OF MINISTERS


H.E. Pehin Dato Yahya, Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Brunei Darussalam

H.E. Mr. Chan Tong Yves, Secretary of State of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Cambodia

H.E. Dr. Anton Apriyantono, Minister of Agriculture, Indonesia

H.E. Mr. Sitaheng Rasphone, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Lao PDR

H.E. Dato’ Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry, Malaysia

H.E. Mayor General Htay Oo, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Myanmar

H.E. Segfredo R. Serrano, Undersecretary, Department of Agriculture, Philippines

H.E. Dr. Mohamad Maliki bin Osman, Parliamentary Secretary for National Development, Singapore

H.E. Mr. Somphat Kaewpijit, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand

H.E. Dr. Cao Duc Phat, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Viet Nam

Mr. S. Pushpanathan, Principal Director, Bureau for Economic Integration and Finance, ASEAN Secretariat, representing H.E. Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN.

Resource: ASEAN Secretariat

Pertemuan AMAF ke 30 dan AMAF+3 ke 8 di Hanoi

Serangkaian pertemuan tingkat Menteri Pertanian dan Kehutanan ASEAN (AMAF) ke XXX dan pertemuan tingkat Menteri Pertanian dan Kehutanan ASEAN Plus Three (AMAF+3) ke VIII telah diselenggarakan 20 - 25 Oktober 2008. Pertemuan dibuka oleh Dr. Cao Duc Phat, Menteri Pertanian dan Pembangunan Pedesaan Vietnam. Pertemuan AMAF dihadiri oleh para Menteri Pertanian dan Kehutanan serta delegasi dari seluruh negara ASEAN. Pada Pertemuan AMAF+3 selain dihadiri oleh para menteri pertanian dan kehutanan dari negara ASEAN juga hadir para Menteri Pertanian dan Kehutanan dari China, Jepang dan Korea Selatan. Delegasi Indonesia dipimpin oleh Dr. Anton Apriyantono, Menteri Pertanian RI dengan anggota berasal dari Departemen Pertanian, Departemen Luar Negeri, Departemen Kelautan dan Perikanan, serta Departemen Kehutanan.

Pada Pertemuan AMAF telah disepakati beberapa hal sebagai berikut:

1. Menanggapi perkembangan krisis dunia yang berdampak pada sektor pangan, ASEAN sesuai dengan usulan Presiden RI, telah menyusun sebuah skema strategis dan komprehensif untuk memperkuat ketahanan pangan regional yang disebut ASEAN Integrated Food Security (AIFS) Framework beserta rencana kerja jangka menengah yang disebut Strategic Plan of Action on Food Security in the ASEAN Region (SPA-FS). Para Menteri Pertanian dan Kehutanan ASEAN menyepakati untuk merekomendasikan dokumen tersebut ke ASEAN Summit di Thailand, bulan November 2008. Selanjutnya, kedua rumusan tersebut rencananya akan dicanangkan bersama oleh para Pemimpin ASEAN dalam Bangkok Statement on Food Security in the ASEAN Region.

2. Para Menteri Pertanian dan Kehutanan ASEAN dapat menerima usulan Indonesia mengenai ASEAN Strategy in Addessing the Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, serta dibentuknya suatu forum yang mewadahi kerja sama ini. ASEAN berkomitmen untuk segera melakukan pendekatan regional dan menyusun rencana kerja strategis dalam mengidentifikasi kegiatan mitigasi dan adaptasi menghadapai dampak perubahan iklim di sektor pertanian, perikanan dan kehutanan. Indonesia diharapkan dapat menjadi focal point implementasi kesepakatan ini.

3. Terkait isu kehutanan, para Menteri Pertanian dan Kehutanan ASEAN menegaskan pentingnya kerja sama dalam manajemen hutan yang berkelanjutan, terutama melalui pengembangan Monitoring, Assessment, and Reporting (MAR) for ASEAN Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Management of Tropical Forests, serta implementasi Work Plan for Strengthening FLEG in ASEAN dan ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN).

4. Dalam sektor perikanan dan kelautan, Indonesia tidak dapat menyepakati ASEAN Regional Fisheries Management Mechanism (ARFMM), yang merupakan rumusan mengenai rencana pembentukan mekanisme regional yang mengatur perikanan baik di perairan laut maupun di darat. Alasan Indonesia adalah bahwa manajemen perikanan tingkat regional harus tetap mengacu pada United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982 dan kesepakatan diantara negara anggota RFMOs, seperti IOTC, CCSBT dan WCPFC. Selain itu, pengelolaan perikanan regional harus mengacu pada Regional Plan of Action (RPOA) on Promoting Responsible Fishing Practices yang telah disepakati pada pertemuan Bali, 4 Mei 2007 yang didukung oleh para Menteri ASEAN dan negara-negara lain seperti Australia, Timor Leste dan Papua Nugini. Namun, setelah melalui pembahasan dalam Tim Kerja, disetujui bentuk kerja sama tersebut berupa forum konsultasi “ASEAN Regional Fisheries Consultative Forum” yang merupakan bagian dari Working Group on Fisheries. Meskipun cukup alot, Indonesia telah berhasil memperjuangkan perubahan ARFMM menjadi ASEAN Regional Fisheries Cosultative Forum.

5. Para Menteri Pertanian dan Kehutanan ASEAN berhasil mensahkan beberapa standar dan rencana kerja yang mencakup:

a. ASEAN Phytosanitary (PS) Guidelines for the Importation of Rice-Milled
b. ASEAN Harmonized Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for 9 pesticides
c. ASEAN Harmonized Standards for Guava, Lansium, Mandarin, Mangosteen and Watermelon
d. ASEAN Standard Requirements for Inactivated E. coli Vaccine for Poultry, Live Swollen Head Syndrome vaccine, Inactivated Porcine parvovirus vaccine, Inactivated Porcine Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccine, Porcine Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae bacterin
e. ASEAN Criteria for Accreditation of Meat Processing Establishment
f. Workplan for Strengthening Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) in ASEAN (2008-2015)

Pada Pertemuan AMAF+3 telah disepakati beberapa hal sebagai berikut:

1. Memperhatikan capaian dari implementasi pilot project EAERR (East Asia Emergency Rice Reserve) dalam merespon situasi darurat di negara-negara ASEAN, para Menteri Pertanian dan Kehutanan ASEAN+3 sepakat untuk memperpanjang pilot project tersebut untuk satu tahun mendatang hingga tahun 2010. Dalam masa perpanjangan tersebut, EAERR juga akan mempersiapkan aspek institusional, finansial dan hukum terhadap rencana perubahan EAERR menjadi permanent scheme.

2. Para Menteri Pertanian dan Kehutanan ASEAN+3 menyepakati beberapa proposal kerja sama ASEAN. Usulan proyek Indonesia “Farmers Exchange Program” salah satu yang disepakati. Pihak plus three akan mengkoordinasikan proposal-proposal ASEAN tersebut dengan sektor teknis dan pendanaan di masing-masing negara.

3. Para Menteri Pertanian dan Kehutanan ASEAN mencatat perkembangan kerja sama ASEAN+3 di sektor pengembangan sumber daya manusia, pertukaran informasi, pengentasan kemiskinan dan penguatan ketahanan pangan.

Diantara waktu luang pertemuan AMAF telah dilakukan beberapa pertemuan bilateral yang hasilnya sebagai berikut:

1. Disela-sela Pertemuan AMAF dan AMAF+3, juga dilakukan pertemuan bilateral tingkat Menteri dengan Laos dan Vietnam, serta bilateral tingkat SOM-Leader dengan Kamboja dan Myanmar. Dalam pertemuan bilateral tingkat Menteri telah disepakati beberapa bidang kerjasama yang dituangkan dalam Minutes of Meeting. Secara keseluruhan, kesepakatan yang berhasil dicapai mencakup kerja sama sektor research and development, capacity building, exchange of expertise dan technology transfer, serta upaya Indonesia membantu pengembangan sektor pertanian untuk negara-negara CLMV.

2. Dalam upaya meningkatkan kerjasama dengan Vietnam khususnya di bidang penelitian padi, Menteri Pertanian mengunjungi lembaga penelitian: Food Crops Research Institute, Duo Trong Province, di Hanoi, dan Hybrid Paddy Plant and Processing, Mekong River Research Institute serta An Giang Research Center di Ho Chi Minh.

3. Menteri Pertanian Dr. Anton Apriyantono mengunjungi Field Crops Research Institute (FCRI) di Vietnam, Kamis (23/10). Menteri menawarkan kerjasama pengembangan padi Hybrida dengan FCRI setalah mengetahui Vietnam telah melakukan pengembangan padi Hybrida sejak tahun 1992, atau sepuluh tahun lebih awal dari Indonesia. Tampak dalam gambar 2 Mentan sedang berdiskusi dengan Dr. Dr. Nguyen Tri Hoan Direktur Jenderal FCRI di tengah bentangan Sawah Percobaan Padi milik FCRI.

4. Menteri Pertanian Dr. Anton Apriyantono disela-sela acara pertemuan Menteri Pertanian ASEAN (AMAF) ke 30 di Hanoi Vietnam telah melakukan beberapa kegiatan. Salah satunya pada tanggal 24 Oktober 2008 Menteri Pertanian RI melakukan pembicaraan bilateral dengan Menteri Pertanian Republik Demokratik Rakyat Laos (Lao PDR), Mr. Sitaheng Rasphone (Gambar 3). Pemerintah Lao PDR mengharapkan bantuan Pemerintah Indonesia dalam program pengembangan dan pelatihan SDM pertanian di Laos. Mentan RI telah menyambut ajakan Mentan Laos ini dengan baik.

Anggrek Indonesia Tampil pada IFEX Japan

Indonesia telah mengikuti pameran bunga 5th International Flower Expo Tokyo (IFEX) 30 Oktober - 1 November 2008 di Makuhari Messe, Jepang. Pameran bunga ini diselenggarakan oleh Japan Floral Marketing Association (JFMA) / Reed Exhibition Japan Ltd. Pameran ditebagi menjadi 8 Zone, yaitu:
1. Flowers, Plants and Seeds Zone
2. Preserved Flower Colection Zone
3. Artificial / Processed Flower Zone
4. Bridal Flower Zone
5. Funeral Flower Zone
6. IFEX Flower Living
7. Packing and Accesories Zone
8. Retail Support Zone

Tahun ini Indonesia berpartisipasi dalam Flowers, Plants and Seeds Zone. Departemen Pertanian bekerjasama dengan KBRI Tokyo telah mendatangkan tiga pengusaha Indonesia untuk memamerkan bunga dan tanaman hias yang dikembangkan di Indonesia.

Indonesia menempati anjungan nomor 19-15 diantara 248 anjungan internasional dan 295 anjungan asal Jepang yang terdapat dalam pameran IFEX besar ini.


Bunga dan tanaman hias Indonesiaku cantik mempesona di arena taman internasional
Anjungan Indonesia diisi oleh 3 pengusaha Bunga dan Tanaman Hias :
1. Ekakarya
2. Gani Flora
3. WIJAYA the art of the Gardent


Bunga Indonesia yang sering diperhatikan orang dan diminati pengunjung adalah Phalaenopsis, putih lidah kuning (gambar di bawah). Bunga ini telah masuk Jepang di harganya 15 ribu yen di toko bunga daerah Chiba tidak jauh dari tempat pameran IFEX.

Kami bertekad mensukseskan pameran ini bekerjasama menyambut pengungunjung dengan tebaran senyuman ala Indonesia dan hormat bungkukan ala Jepang. Arigatau gozaimasu Okamoto San dan keluarga yang telah mensukseskan pameran ini.
Kami melakukan pertemuan dengan Mr. Masakatsu Nozawa Presiden Sagami Jitsugyoco., Ltd. dan Tadashi Matsumoto Presiden The Agri Matsumoto Co. Ltd. untuk mengembangkan bunga Sandersonia di Indonesia. Sementara ini bunga Sandersonia yang telah masuk ke Jepang berasal dari CV. Arajuna Flora, Batu Malang, yang ikut dipamerkan pada anjungan 13-11. Tampak bunga tersebut dipajang pada dinding latar belakang gambar di samping.

Southeast Asian Nations Endorse Rice Action Plan

The world’s biggest rice-exporting and -importing nations have collectively endorsed a new Rice Action Plan targeting many of the problems that triggered this year’s rice price crisis.

At a meeting of the ten-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi on October 24, 2008, ministers of agriculture unanimously endorsed a seven-point action plan presented by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). ASEAN includes two of the world’s largest rice exporters, Thailand and Vietnam, and several importing nations as well.

The endorsement came at the 30th annual meeting of the ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF). It was presented as part of a comprehensive food security strategy being developed for the region, home to more than 500 million rice consumers, including some of Asia’s poorest.

“The message is very clear,” IRRI’s director general, Robert S. Zeigler, said. “We have the scientific expertise, knowledge, and partnerships to grow the rice Asia needs and now—with this endorsement by these nations—we have strong political support. The only thing missing are the financial resources needed to implement this.”

Dr. Zeigler told the ministers that IRRI needs an additional US$15 million a year for the next ten years to adequately support the ASEAN Rice Action Plan. “At a time of trillion-dollar bailouts for the global financial sector, $15 million a year is barely the annual bonus of a former Wall Street executive,” Dr. Zeigler said.

The Rice Action Plan was developed by IRRI earlier this year during the rice price crisis in consultation with its partners around the region. It includes the following measures:

1. Bring about an agronomic revolution to reduce existing yield gaps.
Depending on production conditions, an unexploited yield gap of 1–2 t/ha currently exists in most farmers’ fields in the rice-growing areas of Asia. This yield gap can be reduced through the integrated use of stress-resistant varieties and better crop management practices. This requires funding support to programs aimed at improving farmers’ skills in practices such as land preparation, water and nutrient management, and the control of various pests, diseases, and weeds.

2. Accelerate the delivery of new postharvest technologies to reduce losses.
Postharvest includes the storing, drying, and processing of rice. Considerable losses occur in terms of both the quantity and quality of rice during postharvest operations because of the use of old and inefficient practices. The active promotion of exciting new technologies that are currently available for on-farm storage and drying will reduce losses considerably.

3. Accelerate the introduction and adoption of higher-yielding rice varieties.
New rice varieties are available today that can increase production, but farmers are not using them because the systems that introduce new varieties are under-resourced. Enhancing germplasm exchange, variety testing, and release pipelines can make current high-yielding stress-resistant varieties and hybrids more widely available to farmers in irrigated and rainfed lowland areas of Asia.

4. Strengthen and upgrade breeding pipelines for developing new varieties and hybrids.
Funding for the development of new rice varieties has declined steadily over the past decade or more. This must be reversed in order to develop the next generations of new rice varieties that will be required for productivity growth in sustainable agriculture. Several opportunities are available to accelerate the development of new rice varieties and hybrids with higher yield, better grain quality, and increased tolerance of abiotic stresses and with multiple resistances to insects and diseases through new molecular breeding approaches.

5. Accelerate research on the world’s thousands of rice varieties so scientists can use the vast reservoir of untapped genetic resources they contain.
Working with IRRI, the world’s nations have spent decades carefully collecting thousands of rice varieties. More than 100,000 rice types are now being carefully managed and used at IRRI and in Asian nations. However, only a small fraction of these vital genetic resources has been characterized in detail or used widely. New molecular methods have now opened the door for revealing the valuable genetic characteristics in each variety.

6. Develop a new generation of rice scientists and researchers for the public and private sectors.
Part of the current rice crisis reflects the lack of investment in science, including human capital investment. The education and training of young scientists and researchers are also vital concerns for the rice industry. Asia urgently needs to train a new generation of rice scientists and researchers to enable the region to exploit the latest developments in modern science more effectively.

7. Provide rice policy support.
Conducive policy environments are needed to achieve the fuller use of technology for rapid production growth in an efficient, equitable, and sustainable manner. Rice production is being affected by several dynamic economic factors and their potential impact can be manipulated through suitable policy reforms. The identification of policy constraints, the generation of alternative policy options, and policy advocacy are therefore essential.

Rahasia Ubi Jalar Siap Saji dengan Kemasan Plastik Vakum

Rasa ubi jalar tetap menjadi kesukaan makanan lidah orang Jepang, meskipun berbagai makanan internasional terdapat di restoran-restoran di Jepang. Di tengah super sibuknya orang Jepang ubi jalar dihadirkan di meja makan mereka dengan bentuk siap saji.

Perusahaan menyiapkan ubi rebus dikemas dalam plastik vakum sehingga tahan lama meskipun tanpa bahan pengawet, dengan penampilan yang menggoda rasa. Dalam bahasa Jepangnya Oishisou yang artinya kelihatannya enak sekali. Karena dalam kemasan vakum, ubi jalar siap saji ini awet bisa tahan sampai dua bulan.

Cara menyiapkannya sangat mudah, masukkan ubi yang masih dikemas dalam plastik ke dalam microwave 500 W selama 3 menit. Begitu terdengar bunyi kling...pada microwave, ubi hangat siap disantap dengan rasa asli ubi.

Ubi jalar siap saji ini dengan berat sekitar 350 gram, harganya dua kali lipat dari ubi jalar bakar yang dijual di supermarket atau biasa dijajakan keliling perumahan. Ubi jalar bakar dijual 100 yen per 350 gram, sedang ubi jalar siap saji dengan berat sama dihargai 200 yen.

Pelajaran yang bisa dipetik dari ubi jalar siap saji ini, selain kita berusaha memproduksi bahan baku sebaik mungkin, kita perlu terus-menerus melakukan inovasi pengolahan dan pengemasan agar dapat memanjakan atau membuat senang konsumen.