The agriculture heads of the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) on
Tuesday met in Beijing to explore ways to better cooperate in the
agriculture sector.
"The Chinese government has always paid much attention to the
cooperation within the GMS, with extensive programs in the
agriculture sector," Chinese State Councilor Hua Jianmin told the
meeting.
The GMS countries -- China, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand
and Vietnam -- have embarked on a program of economic cooperation
since 1992.
"Agriculture is a key factor in the achievement of the GMS
vision of a Mekong sub-region," said Lawrence Greenwood, vice
president of Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Of the 316 million people in the sub-region, about two thirds
live in rural areas and depend mainly on subsistence and
semi-subsistence agriculture for their livelihoods.
"Clearly, the heads of the governments of GMS countries
understand the relationship between agriculture development and
poverty reduction," Greenwood said.
The GSM countries should step up cooperation in agriculture
sector, expand and upgrade cooperation, and increase the steady
inflow of investment, Hua said.
"China would like to deepen the agriculture links within the
sub-region and boost development and prosperity," he said.
"A huge number of rural poor have benefited from our
collaboration in the spread of agrotechnology, prevention and
control of animal epidemics and the dissemination of
information."
Greenwood said, "I have no doubt that with the collective
resolve of all the GMS countries and their development partners, it
will succeed in accelerating the pace of agricultural
development."
More than 120 agriculture officials from GSM countries and
representatives from the ADB and other international organizations
attended the meeting.
They also discussed the Strategic Framework for GMS Cooperation
in Agriculture and the Core Agriculture Support Program.
They were expected to launch the GMS agriculture information
network services website at the end of the one-day meeting.
(Xinhua News Agency April 10, 2007)
