March 13, 2007
ASEAN Secretariat
Jakarta, Indonesia
We are leaders and members belonging to the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA), together with AsiaDHRRA and partner CSOs, gathered here at Jakarta, Indonesia, for the “Regional Workshop on ASEAN: Firming Up Asian Farmers’ Campaign on ASEAN regional integration in Agriculture†, this 10-12th of March 2007. Most of our members come from ASEAN countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines) and ASEAN dialogue partners (Japan, South Korea).
We appreciate the attendance of ASEAN secretariat officers to our workshop. We share the ASEAN vision of Southeast Asian nations “living in peace, stability and prosperity, bonded together in partnership in dynamic development and in a community of caring societies.†We know that the member countries in this region have different social, economic and political situations. But while some farmers in ASEAN may be more well-off than others, we know that many of the farmers in this region, like us, are living in poverty, suffer from governments’ inadequate support to the small men and women farmers, fishers and indigenous communities. This vision, therefore, gives us hope that we can help our governments show their “care†for small farmers, fishers and indigenous peoples.
Summary of Recommendations and Action Points:
A. AFA, together with AsiaDHRRA and partner CSOs, would like to make specific recommendations on four areas (please refer to full statement, herein attached), namely on:
1. regionalism and integration on agriculture
2. free trade agreements
3. renewable energies especially on bio-fuels
4. ASEAN Charter building process
B. Along this, we have the following specific proposals for the ASEAN Secretariat:
Access to information and referrals:
1. List of major ASEAN activities concerning the above areas of concerns which AFA and relevant CSOs could participate at national and regional levels
2. Information of relevant meetings where we can submit positions and policy papers or become resource persons in aid of ASEAN’s deliberations
3. List of contact persons at the national level and the ASEC office that we can follow up and interact with in the coming period; and relevant mechnisms at different levels where we can push our recommendations
4. Help link AFA and AsiaDHRRA with ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF)
5. Copies of relevant documents useful for AFA members and partners
6. List of researches being conducted on the four mentioned areas
Participation in Specific Activities:
1. Charter building process – HLTF CSO Consultation in Manila (representative from AFA Farmer Leader and Translator; and from AsiaDHRRA); an opportunity to input and review specific sections of direct relevance to farmers and agriculture during drafting period.
2. ASEAN Farmers’ Day – information about it and possible participation of AFA members (as co-organizers; participants, etc.)
3. Consultations on Bio-fuels or renewable energy; FTAs
4. Civil Society component of regular ASEAN Summits e.g. ACSC
5. Other ASEAN activities for farmers and rural development NGOs (e.g. researches, capacity building and technology development)
C. As a pro-active stakeholder, AFA can offer the following:
1. Programmed Activities on ASEAN engagement (please see annex 3)
2. On-ground venue for ASEAN exposure on farmers issues
3. Joint cooperation e.g. IFAD Medium Term Cooperation to strengthen Farmers Organization in Asia
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