With urbanization and increasing scarcity of labour in rural areas across the region, there is a growing need for the development of farm mechanisation to address productivity enhancement in a sustainable manner. It is equally important to address the quality of, and use of machinery and equipment in post-harvest and processing operations.

The development of sustainable agricultural mechanisation strategies (SAMS) is critical to ensuring the environmental soundness of agricultural machinery used across the food value chain. SAMS is expected to serve as the foundation to create a policy, institutional and market environment in which farmers and other end-users have the choice of machinery and equipment suited to their needs within a sustainable delivery and support system.

In order to address these issues a two-day Asia-Pacific High-Level Multi-Stakeholder Consultation on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization Strategy (SAMS) is being held in Bangkok 26 – 27 June. Participants are drawn from 20 countries, representing governments, regional institutions, representatives from the private sector, regional mechanization associations, civil society, development partners and academic and research institutions. 

The Consultation will review agricultural mechanization across grain and non-grain value chains in Asia-Pacific, finalize a regional sustainable mechanization strategy and develop a regional network for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (SAM).

The meeting begins at 9.00 am on Thursday, 26^th June and the press conference will follow at 10.30 am. The keynote speaker will be Hiroyuki Konuma, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific.  

You or your representatives are cordially invited to attend the morning session and press conference on Thursday, 26 June, beginning at 9.00 am at Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel and Towers, No. 2, Charoen Krung Soi 30 (Captain Bush Lane), Siphya, Bangkok. One-on-one interviews can also be arranged. Refreshments will be served.

For further information, contact: Allan Dow, FAO Communication Officer, Tel: +66 2 697 4126; Mob: +66 81 899 7354; Email: [email protected] and Kanokporn Chansomritkul, Tel: +66 2 697 4177; Email: [email protected]