15th Meeting of the GMS Working Group on Agriculture (WGA-15)

Representatives of the six countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) met in Pu’er, Yunnan Province in the People’s Republic of China on 29–30 May 2018 for the 15^th Meeting of the GMS Working Group on Agriculture (WGA-15).

The working group reviewed the achievements and progress made by the GMS countries under the Core Agriculture Support Program Phase II (CASP 2) moving toward an inclusively sustainable and modern agriculture approach. These program achievements included

• supported value chain integration involving smallholder farmers, rural women, and small and medium-sized agro-enterprises, and ensured piloted farms linked to markets;
•  promoted climate- and environment-friendly agriculture practices, innovation, and technology; and
•  advocated food safety and quality assurance and policy harmonization.

The working group also acknowledged the delivery of notable knowledge products under CASP 2 and the completion of the development phase of the GMS Agriculture Information Network Services v2.0. The group expressed its deep appreciation for the support provided by co-financing partners, including the Government of Sweden, the Nordic Development Fund, the Water Financing Partnership Facility, and the Asian Development Bank to CASP 2, and looked forward to their continued support to successfully implement the Strategy for Promoting Safe and Environment-Friendly Agro-based Value Chains in the GMS and Siem Reap Action Plan 2018–2022 (SASRAP) endorsed at the 2^nd GMS Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting held in Siem Reap, Cambodia in September 2017.