On October 27 in Singapore, a delegation from Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment attended the preparatory Senior Officials’ Meeting for the 48th ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Meeting. Delegates discussed regional cooperation priorities in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and food security.
The meeting aimed to review the outcomes of sectoral cooperation within ASEAN and prepare the agenda and documents for submission to the 48th ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Meeting (AMAF-48).
Delegates at the preparatory meeting for the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Meeting. Photo: ICD.One of the key agenda items was to review the 2026 performance of ASEAN sectoral working groups and discuss cooperation action plans for the 2026 - 2030 period.
In the livestock sector, Vietnam was assigned to report on the outcomes of the 34th Meeting of the ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Livestock (ASWGL), held online on September 8, 2026. Items expected to be submitted to the ASEAN Ministers for consideration and approval include revised ASEAN standards for veterinary vaccines, guidelines for harmonizing national Good Animal Husbandry Practices standards with ASEAN standards, and guidelines on medicated animal feed.
In fisheries, the meeting was expected to consider the ASEAN Fisheries Cooperation Action Plan for 2026 - 2030 and the midterm review report on implementing the Resolution and Plan of Action on Sustainable Fisheries for Food Security for the ASEAN Region Towards 2030.
In forestry, delegates discussed initiatives to plant one billion trees across ASEAN, promote business development among community-based forestry enterprises, and the ASEAN Forestry Cooperation Action Plan for 2026 - 2030.
The meeting also reviewed the ASEAN Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (ARASFF) Action Plan for 2026 - 2030, along with measures to strengthen early warning mechanisms and regional coordination in ensuring food safety.
Delegates also prepared the agendas, reports and draft joint press statements for the 48th ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Meeting (AMAF-48) and the 26th ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Meeting Plus Three with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (AMAF+3).
During discussions with partners, the meeting engaged with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC) and the SEADRIF RAISE Initiative to explore potential areas for cooperation.
Vietnam’s participation in the meeting provided an opportunity to continue coordinating with ASEAN member states on standards development, promote scientific and technological cooperation, improve agricultural production quality, and develop sustainable agricultural, forestry and fisheries value chains.