ATMI-ASEAN PROJECT MEETS WITH AFA AND GROW ASIA TO DISCUSS COLLABORATION ON PROJECT ACTIVITIES

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-funded project, Agricultural Transformation and Market Integration in the ASEAN Region: Responding to Food Security and Inclusiveness Concerns (ATMI-ASEAN) project, met with representatives from the Asian Farmers' Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA) and Grow Asia to explore possible collaborations in implementing the project's overall objective of integrating small-scale rural producers (SSRP) in the national and regional value chains. An enhanced partnership with the two organizations will contribute to the role of farmer and civil society organizations and the private sector in the development of policy recommendations that will support SSRPs in the context of agricultural transformation and market integration in the region. Representatives from IFAD, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) participated in the meeting.

The meeting started with a presentation of the national-level component led by SEARCA Program Head for Research and Development, Dr. Pedcris M. Orencio. He reported about the project activities, as well as the proposed schedules of forthcoming events of partner focal agencies and research institutions from the five countries, namely, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Ms. Aniq Fadhillah and Mr. Manmeet Ajmani, Policy Facilitator and Research Analyst of IFPRI, respectively, continued the discussion by presenting the regional activities and researches about market integration and agricultural transformation.