"Food security has become an important issue recently stressing on how sustain people`s life through enough supply of food but at the same time also ensure that we can create a healthy environment," Chairman for APEC`s Fisheries Working group Gelwynn Jusuf said here on Monday after the opening ceremony of the event.
As in the case of climate change issue, he said the increase number of population in the Asia Pacific region had negative impacts to the environment. Therefore, a comprehensive action must be conducted soon to tackle the problem. He said the working group meeting in Bali was an important forum for APEC member countries to discuss about how they would strengthen cooperation in order to face global challenges today such as the food security and climate change issues.
Meanwhile, Chairman of APEC`s Marine Resources Conservation Working Group Ulises Munaylla from Peru stated recently the world was facing the negative impacts of climate change to the marine biodiversity which eventually would also affect food security.
He expected the Bali meeting would produce positive inputs to member countries of APEC in relation to the effforts to tackle climate change and secure food supply to the people.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) of the 22nd Fisheries Working Group (FWG), the 24th Marine Resource Conservation Working Group (MRCWG) are participated in by 63 officers coming from 15 APEC member countries, namely USA, Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Mexico, South Korea, Australia, Hong Kong, Chile, Russia and the Philippines.
The event is also attended by an observer from an Independent Assessor and four expert speakers, including from the NGOs.
Since 2010, the Lead Shepherd position for APEC FWG held by Mr Gellwynn Jusuf PhD from Indonesia, which currently also serves as Secretary General of Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), while Mr Ulises Munaylla PhD from Peru is the Lead Shepherd from APEC MRCWG since 2009. They are both Co-Chairs of the three days meeting.
(Uu.A051/H-NG/O001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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