Asia-Pacific Ministers push food security, resilience amid global shocks at FAO meet

38th Session of FAO Regional Conference for Asia and Pacific aims at resilience from within, reaffirms Sri Lanka’s active engagement

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

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu addresses the inaugural session of the 38th FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific

Agriculture Ministers from across Asia and the Pacific have called for stronger regional cooperation to safeguard food security and build resilient agrifood systems, as geopolitical tensions and climate pressures intensify risks to global food supply chains.

The discussions took place at the 38th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific in Brunei Darussalam, convened by the Food and Agriculture Organisation 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 fertiliser 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 Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Minister 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 emphasised advancing agricultural modernisation 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 a parallel senior officials’ sessions, Department of Agriculture Director-General Dr. W.A.R.T. Wickramaarachchi, along with senior officials of the Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Ministry, Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Ministry and Environment Ministry actively engaged in discussions on mobilising 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) programs 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 Program of Work and Budget for the next biennium, and aligning them with FAO’s Strategic Framework, Medium-Term Plan and country programing frameworks.