Based on nominations from 13 member States of ESCAP, the Asian and Pacific Network for Testing of Agricultural Machinery (ANTAM) established a Technical Working Group (TWG) and its sub-working groups to kick off standard-setting work of ANTAM in February 2015.

The TWG is tasked to develop and review ANTAM testing codes and procedures, and provide technical support to ANTAM. It is composed of technical experts nominated by member countries in the field of agricultural machinery testing and agricultural engineering.

Thirteen members from 11 countries were finally selected as members of the TWG, which was divided into three sub-working groups based on the work plan of ANTAM, namely Sub-working Group on Power Tillers (SWGPT), Sub-working Group on Sprayers (SWGS), and Sub-working Group on Simplified ROPS for Tractors (SWGR).

Members of the SWGS are:

• Ms. Ayesha Herath, Farm Mechanization Research Centre of Sri Lanka (Team Leader)
• Mr. Douzals Jean-Paul, l'Institut de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA) of France
• Mr. K.N. Agrawal, Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering of India
• Mr. NGO Van Phuong, Machinery Testing Centre of Viet Nam
• Mr. ZHANG Xiaochen, China Agricultural Machinery Testing Centre

Members of the SWGPT are:

• Mr. Anuchit Chamsing, Agricultural Engineering Research Institute of Thailand
• Mr. CHANG Xiongbo, China Agricultural Machinery Testing Centre
• Mr. C.R. Lohi, Central Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institute of India (Team Leader)
• Mr. Darwin Aranguren, Agricultural Machinery Testing and Evaluation Centre of the Philippines
• Mr. Israil Hossain, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute
• Mr. Jandool Khan, Agricultural and Biological Engineering Institute of Pakistan
• Mr. Sinh Chao, Department of Agricultural Engineering of the General Directorate of Agriculture of Cambodia
• Mr. Vadim Pronin, Association of Testing of Agricultural Machinery and Technologies of Russia
• Mr. Lohi, Mr. Chang and Mr. Pronin are concurrently members of the SWGR with Mr. Lohi as the team leader.

The first TWG meeting is scheduled to be held on May 4-6 in Serpong, Indonesia in collaboration with the Indonesian Centre for Agricultural Engineering, Research and Development (ICAERD) where the TWG members are expected to reach consensus on the first sets of ANTAM test codes and procedures for sprayers, power tillers and simplified ROPS for tractors. Several rounds of on-line technical consultations among the TWG members to narrow down difference and harmonize standards will be held before the meeting. The ANTAM codes will be submitted to the 2nd annual meeting of ANTAM in December for final adoption.