CropLife Asia recently promoted a common crop-protection regulatory framework at its Sustainable Development Conference 2015 at Bangkok’s AETAS Lumpini Hotel.
CropLife Asia Science and Regulatory Affairs Director Dr. Vasant Patil gave a presentation about the benefits of a universal regulatory framework for ASEAN member states.
"The farmers of Thailand and ASEAN are among the world's best at what they do," Patil said. "But the challenges they face are great. We have a shared responsibility to help them find safe and sustainable agricultural solutions in the face of worsening environmental realities, disease, and pests. Providing a harmonized regulatory framework in ASEAN for crop protection products will go a long way in ensuring our farmers are equipped with the 21st Century tools and technology they need to meet these challenges and deliver agricultural sustainability and food security across the region."
The framework would offer farmers better access to technology and tools that are designed to guarantee future food security.
"For agriculture in ASEAN, the sky is the limit -- and AEC 2015 will play a big role in determining if the region can seize the opportunities on the horizon," Dr. Siang Hee Tan, CropLife Asia executive director, said. "We know that in 10 short years, it's projected that the collective GDP for ASEAN will exceed that of the UK and Japan; but at the same time, the world's population will grow by one billion and ASEAN's by about 60 million. Will agriculture in Thailand and ASEAN be positioned to meet the challenge of feeding the region and world while also making the most of the opportunity presented by the region's growth? If we arm our ASEAN farmers with the latest plant science technology, it will go a long way in unleashing their potential, helping ensure food security and sustainability across the region, bringing a 'rising tide' to the agricultural sector of ASEAN and taking the food basket of ASEAN to a different level."
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