“Agricultural engineering and machinery play a key role in increasing agricultural productivity in the region against the background of limited natural resources, increasing population and the effect of climate change”, said Mr. Ravi Ratnayake, Director of ESCAP’s Trade and Investment Division (TID) at the Sixth Session of the UNAPCAEM Governing Council (GC) held on 10 February in Bangkok, and hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Ratnayake, also expressed his gratitude to member countries for their strong commitment to the Centre and the importance that member countries attached to the work of UNAPCAEM.

GC members reviewed the 2010 UNAPCAEM work report, the administrative and financial status of the Centre, and endorsed the proposed Work Plan for 2011.  Governing Council members also endorsed the Report of the Sixth Technical Committee (TC) of UNAPCAEM, held on 2 December 2010 in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

A major milestone during the meeting was the GC endorsement of the UNAPCAEM draft strategic 5-year plan developed jointly with TC members during the strategic planning workshop held on 29-30 November 2010.

Discussions also centered on the recently concluded UNAPCAEM study report on the status of agricultural mechanization and proposed next steps in the development of an Asian and Pacific Network for Testing of Agricultural Machinery (ANTAM).

The timing and venue of the Seventh Session of the UNAPCAEM Governing Council will be decided later in the year.

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