Vietnamese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat said the meeting focused discussion on policies and strategies to deal with common issues in the region.
The event provided an opportunity for member countries to exchange experience, promote business cooperation and find measures to improve the productivity and efficiency of food production in Vietnam and Asia as a whole, Phat added.
Vietnam’s agriculture still faces a number of challenges, especially in the context of rapid population growth, shrinking farmland, and frequent natural disasters. To raise competitiveness, Vietnam has no choice, but to restructure the agricultural sector, of which science and technology plays a key role.
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Nguyen Van Bo, Director of the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said Vietnam was selected to host the meeting as it has a wealth of experience in agricultural production.
According to the senior expert, Vietnam is willing to share its experience with other countries, and apply scientific and technological advances to agricultural production.
Participants also discussed issues related to climate change adaptation, food hygiene and safety, food security, as well as food security.
The AFACI was established in 2009 on an initiative of the Republic of Korea and it currently has 13 member nations. The network aims to share agricultural knowledge and advanced technology application, and research advanced technologies to boost agricultural production and protect the environment.
