3. Mr. M.K. Papademetriou, FAO Senior Plant Production and Protection Officer, Bangkok, Thailand, welcomed the participants and extended to them warm greetings from Dr. Prem Nath, Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific. He stated that, globally, maize comes third among food grain crops in terms of production and acreage. The crop is known for its versatile nature and tremendous genetic variability enabling it to thrive well under tropical, subtropical and temperate climatic conditions. Besides being a major food crop, it is also important as a feed and fodder crop. In addition, its merit for industrial uses cannot and should not be underestimated.
4. Maize still accounts for about 18% of the world’s cereal acreage and about 25% of the world’s cereal production. In Asia and the Pacific, it accounts for about 15% of the Region’s cereal production. It is encouraging to note that the Average Annual Growth Rate in production for the Region during the last decade (1987-1997) was 3.8% while in the rest of the world it was only 2.9%. Also, the Average Annual Growth Rate in yield for the Region during the same period was 2.8% in comparison with 2% in the rest of the world. The Average Annual Growth Rate in the Area Harvested for the Region during that period was 1% and in the rest of the world 0.9%. It is worth noting that during the period of 1987-1997 Iran had the highest Average Annual Growth Rate in production (51.4%); also, the highest Average Annual Growth Rate in yield (6.7%); in addition, it had the highest Average Annual Growth Rate in the Area Harvested (44.5%).
5. The total production of maize in the Region in 1997 was 140.8 million tons. The estimated demand for the Region for the year 2020 is about 252 million tons. The average yield for the Region in 1997 was 3.42 tons/ha, in comparison with 4.49 tons/ha in the rest of the world. Further, it is worth mentioning that of the 25 maize producing countries in the Region, 13 countries still produce less than 2 tons per hectare. It appears that much more remains to be done to further narrow the serious gaps between potential and actual yields. Many people believe that a major reason for the still low productivity of maize in Asia is the fact that less area is covered under high yielding hybrids and even composite varieties. In the U.S.A., where they have the highest yields, most of the area is planted under single cross hybrids giving very high yields. Further, availability and use of quality seed and other critical inputs as well as application of appropriate crop management practices in the Region leave much to be desired. He wished the participants productive discussions and good contacts among one another for the exchange of information and experience. He then outlined the objectives of the meeting.
6. Professor Tran Hong Uy, Director, National Maize Research Institute, Vietnam, while addressing the meeting, emphasized the importance of the Network in promoting collaboration among the countries of the region in maize research and development. He mentioned that good progress has been made up to the present, and he encouraged the participants to maximize their efforts and ensure continuation of this progress in the future.
7. Dr. J.P. Marathee, Senior Cereals Officer, Field Food Crops Group, AGPC, FAO, Rome, Italy, welcomed the participants on behalf of Dr. Mahmud A. Duwayri, Director, Plant Production and Protection Division, FAO, Rome, Italy. He mentioned that FAO organized the First South-East Asian Maize Workshop in Bangkok in January 1993. At that Meeting it was agreed to set up a maize Network and call it Tropical Asian Maize Network (TAMNET). The First TAMNET Meeting was held in October 1995 in Thailand. The Second TAMNET Meeting was held in November 1996 in India. The main objectives of TAMNET are to facilitate and strengthen collaboration between National Institutions of the Region in maize research and development with a view to increase maize production and productivity, particularly through hybrid maize. Within the framework of TAMNET and in close collaboration with CIMMYT and APSA a series of activities have been carried out. He indicated that he was very pleased to be present in the Third TAMNET Meeting.
8. Professor Ngo The Dan, Vice-Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam, welcomed the participants to Vietnam and the Third TAMNET Workshop. He stated that the Network is a symbol of friendship and cooperation among Asian countries in order to address strategic Regional Food Security Issues. The Workshop is a big encouragement for Vietnam in its National Maize Programme. It is also a good opportunity for the experts in the region to share experience in research and development work in order to improve maize yields and production. Food production and Food Security is always a strategic goal of the Vietnamese Government. Fortunately, for the past ten years, there has been an encouraging increase of food production in Vietnam.
9. Maize is the second most important food crop in Vietnam after rice. It is also a very important crop for livestock production development. Since 1990 the Government of Vietnam has paid great attention to the maize programme. In 1990 the area under hybrid maize was zero. Today hybrid maize covers over 50% (about 300,000 ha) of the total maize area. In 1997 the total maize production was 1,690,000 tons with an average yield of 2.5 tons/ha. The average hybrid maize yield is 4-4.5 tons/ha, and in a number of locations 5-6 tons/ha. Some farmers even get 10-11 tons/ha. In some provinces 80-90% of the total maize area is covered with hybrid maize. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has adopted policies which encourage farmers to grow hybrid maize. The target for the year 2,000 is to cover 850,000 hectares with maize, of which 70% will be under hybrid maize with an average yield of 3 tons/ha and total production of 2.5 million tons. Finally, he expressed his sincere thanks to all the international organizations and countries for their assistance to the Vietnam Maize Development Programme, and wished success to the Workshop.
