I express my warm welcome to all the representatives from the APRACA member institutions as well as the accompanying delegates who are attending this meeting and heartiest gratitude to Agricultural Development Bank of China (ADBC) for hosting the 23rd edition of APRACA General Assembly Meeting.

As we are out of the pandemic now, APRACA has a greater responsibility for promoting and working towards equitable growth. About 70% of the APRACA member countries depend on agriculture sector. Hence, we need to focus more on the growth of this sector. Today, we have common and urgent concerns like increase in food prices, geo-political concerns and environmental concerns and improving food security which are all required to be urgently addressed.

Across the Asia- Pacific countries, our common food culture which is our rice based agriculture needs to be diversified into protein based food products and climate resilient cereals like millets, etc., in view of the looming climate change impacts to our food system.

There are mainly two emerging areas for APRACA members to take action:

• Asia is responsible for 90% of the global aquaculture production with potential to produce more. In the context of the world’s growing food security concerns, APRACA member institutions can and should look into collaborations for sharing of experiences, best practices and knowledge for expanding this sector.
• More innovations with technology to de-risk agriculture.

This is the 46th year of APRACA. In the life cycle of man, four decades is a long time. It is hence the right time for APRACA’s transformation to suit the changing times. There is a need to initiate partnerships for meaningful and sustained mutual benefits for our shared future. I call upon members to have the common goal to bring APRACA to the top among all the organisations as APRACA is looked upon for ensuring food security for the world. We, therefore, have to re-focus as an effective and goal oriented association. Let us strive to be a re-invigorated organization.