NCUI and JA Zenchu co-host 15th AFGC

The 15th annual meeting of Asian Farmers’ Group for Cooperation (AFGC) co-hosted by JA Zenchu and NCUI was inaugurated on Thursday at the NCUI Headquarters in N Delhi. The co-host JA Zenchu is the Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Japan.

If the Indian side was represented by the NCUI President Dr Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, Central Registrar and Dr Dinesh, foreign delegates included Shigeshi Onishi, Executive Director of JA-ZENCHU, last year host from Thailand Mongkalut Pukanat and about 25 members from nine countries.  India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam with the notable absence of China are permanent members of this forum.

Speaking on the ocassion Shigeshi Onishi, Executive Director of JA-ZENCHU said that it is a pleasure to meet representatives from Farmers organizations and cooperatives for the first time in Asian Countries.

I would like to convey my sincere appreciation to Dr. Chandra Pal Singh Yadav and everyone of NCUI for hosting this meeting. I would also like to extend my sincere application to everyone who gives us opening remarks and keynote speeches despite the busy schedule, he added.

The Theme of this Meeting is Role of Agricultural Cooperatives and Farmers Organization in attaining food security through sustainable Agriculture. While the world’s population is rapidly growing, the importance of agricultural production to support our food and that of Farmers in it is increasing more and more, he said.

Mongkalut Pukanat, Vice chairman of Cooperative league of Thailand, inform that last 20 December 2014, CLT conducted the AGM. More than 1,600 cooperators and representative of cooperative members attended the event. I was elected to be 1st vice chairman and responded all activities of agricultural co-op development in Thailand as well as AFGC agenda.

He introduced a representative of Bang Bo Aquacultural cooperative ltd. Mr Narongdach Wongprasert. I would like to stress in this forum that healthy soils are critical for global food production and provide a range of environmental services. Last Year, Govt. of Thailand has proposed that world to celebrate the International Year of Soils in 2015 in order to raise awareness on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for sustainable soil management. I would like to ask member of AFGC to share the situation of your countries in preserving sustainable soil, he added.

NCUI President Chandra Pal Singh began his speech by welcoming the delegates and said that in the time of growing crisis in the region of South East Asia Agriculture and Cooperative alone hold hope for the future. He expounded at length the role being played by cooperatives in the welfare of small and marginal farmers.

Chandra Pal also appreciated the United Nations focus on the issue of agriculture and cooperative year after year. If 2012 was focused on cooperative 2015 is on soil and again 2016 would be focused on pulse, Yadav noted with satisfaction.

Food security could be achieved by empowering the farmers by knitting them in cooperatives, he added.

The Central Registrar Raj Singh enumerated the various schemes government of India has for the benefit of farmers. India is a country where more than 80 percent of land-holding is in the hands of small farmers who find it difficult to employ latest machine and technology. He talked about low rate of loan and procurement prices that the government has been giving in its bid to strengthen the farmers.

The programme would go on for two days. The Asian Farmers’ Group for Cooperation (AFGC) has been formed by JA Zenchu – Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Japan in 1999 to exchange views on agriculture and trade policies, strengthening functions of farmers’ organization & Cooperatives and advocacy of Asian farmers.

The AFGC is annually organising its meeting and arranging various seminars/conferences on WTO, Food Security, Rural / Agricultural development and other related livelihood issues.

The main theme of the meeting is “Role of Agricultural Cooperatives & Farmers Organization in attaining Food Security through sustainable Agriculture”. Based on above main theme, the AFGC members will share their experiences.

The major thrust would be on the two sub-themes viz. (i) Role of Agricultural Cooperatives and Farmers’ Organisations in preserving sustainable soil and (ii) Role of Agricultural Cooperatives and Farmers’ Organisations in promotion of production of nutritious crops and enlightenment of consumers to shift to sustainable food habit.

Dr Dinesh proposed votes of thanks.