Director-General urges collaboration as more regional Members move up the development ladder

Ministers from around Asia and the Pacific gathered in Brunei Darussalam this week to negotiate collaboration pathways and priority areas of action with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). They aim to harness the region’s increasingly prosperous and dynamic agricultural capacities to bolster food security for all, while ensuring smallholders benefit from technology and trade.

Opening the 38th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific (APRC38), Crown Prince of Brunei, His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibini His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah called on countries to work together to increase resilience and food security in the region.

The conference comes at a critical time. Increased energy and fertilizer costs, reduced income from agricultural exports to Gulf countries, and ongoing uncertainty caused by the 2026 conflict in the Middle East is increasing volatility in agricultural commodity markets, tightening the connection between geopolitical risk, food-energy systems and global inflation pressures. This is in addition to longer term pressures from intensifying climate impacts including droughts, floods and extreme weather events, and land and water degradation.

“We must build resilience from within, because no external help will be sustainable without our own collective will,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said in remarks to the key Ministerial meeting on Thursday.

In his statement delivered virtually, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha, highlighted the urgent need to build sustainable and resilient agrifood systems in response to growing challenges including climate change, market volatility and food security concerns. He underscored Sri Lanka’s priorities of strengthening domestic production, reducing import dependency, and improving the livelihoods of farming communities.

The Minister further emphasized advancing agricultural modernization through digital governance, improved water management, and value chain development. He also highlighted efforts to strengthen small and medium enterprises, establish export-oriented agricultural villages, and enhance integration into global markets to build a competitive agricultural economy.

At the Senior Officers Meeting held alongside the Conference, Dr. W.A.R.T. Wickramaarachchi, Director-General of the Department of Agriculture, along with senior officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation; the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources and the Ministry of Environment actively engaged in discussions on mobilizing investment, leveraging science and innovation, and advancing inclusive agrifood systems transformation. The country also highlighted the importance of strengthening value chains, empowering women and youth, and utilizing initiatives such as FAO’s Hand-in-Hand and One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) programmes to support resilient and sustainable agricultural development.

The Ministerial Session also reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to strengthening its longstanding partnership with FAO and accelerating agrifood systems transformation by leveraging technical expertise, innovation and financing. Sri Lanka reiterated its readiness to actively contribute to building a secure, nutrition-sensitive and sustainable food future through strengthened regional cooperation and coordinated action.

Member countries participating in the conference will indicate the priority regional and local themes and areas for FAO to take into account while preparing the Programme of Work and Budget for the next biennium, and aligning them with FAO’s Strategic Framework, Medium-Term Plan and country programming frameworks.

FAO Director-General QU Dongyu addresses the inaugural ceremony of the 38th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific. (c)FAO/SYAFIQ SAHRIN

Statement by Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands, and Irrigation of Sri Lanka (seated right) as Chairperson of the 37th Session of the Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific at the inaugural session of APRC38. (c)FAO/SYAFIQ SAHRIN

L-R: Vimlendra Sharan, FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives; and Honorable K.D. Lal Kantha, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands, and Irrigation of Sri Lanka