KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has suggested that the Asean-India Fund be optimised to explore areas of cooperation, particularly initiatives related to agricultural sustainability and climate change mitigation.
The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry, in a statement today, said the Eighth Asean-India Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry (8th AIMMAF), held on Oct 25 agreed that Asean Member States (AMS) and India should focus on sustainability-driven agricultural cooperation.
This includes decarbonisation efforts, reducing the use of chemical pesticides, preventing crop-burning practices, empowering digitalisation and expanding the application of science and technology in the food, agriculture and forestry sectors.
"The minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu has led the Malaysian delegation to the 8th AIMMAF hosted online by Myanmar on Oct 25.
"The meeting highlighted the importance of sustainable agricultural practices and regenerative agriculture in reinforcing regional food security.
"Malaysia also acknowledged the progress of the Medium-term Plan of Action for Asean-India Cooperation in Agriculture and Forestry (2021-2025) and encouraged AMS and India to continue identifying potential projects and programmes for future implementation," the statement read.
AIMMAF is a biennial event that discusses Asean-India cooperation in agriculture and forestry.
The 8th AIMMAF reviewed the status of the Medium-term Plan of Action for ASEAN-India Cooperation in Agriculture and Forestry (2021-2025), covering areas such as investment promotion, human capital development in the food, agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors and strengthening the resilience of ecological systems.
The next AIMMAF meeting will be held in India in 2026.