Agriculture

Annex III to BS/WG/AAI/R(2019)1

 

PLAN OF ACTION

OF THE BSEC WORKING GROUP ON

AGRICULTURE AND AGRO-INDUSTRY

for the period of 1July 2019 – 30 June 2021
Coordinator Country:

Republic of Turkey

RESPONSIBLE INSTITUTION:

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Directorate General for European Union and Foreign Relations
Contact point:  Adil ALTAN, Coordinator
Tel: +90 312 287 33 60-4468
Fax: +90 312 258 86 43
E-mail: adil.altan@tarimorman.gov.tr

  1. GENERAL OBJECTIVES:

The Working Group on Agriculture and Agro-industry will carry out its activities taking into account the provisions of the BSEC Charter, the BSEC Economic Agenda for the Future, the Resolutions, Decisions and Recommendations adopted by the BSEC Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the provisions of the Joint Declarations of the Ministers of Agriculture of the BSEC Member States held in Moscow on 7 October 2011 and in Istanbul on 17 May 2017 and also other legal documents concluded by BSEC.

The Working Group will be working towards accomplishment of the following general objectives of the Working Group:

 

  • Intensify joint efforts to promote cooperation among the BSEC Member States in order to help to reduce regional disparities and to give an impetus to the regional trade in agricultural products.
  • Consider, approve, monitor and implement relevant projects within the BSEC Project Development Fund and through the BSEC Project Management Unit, as well as other available project facilities in the field of production and processing of agricultural products, as well as in other related areas.
  • Enhance cooperation with relevant international organizations and structures, in order to create appropriate coordination mechanisms in agriculture and agro-industry matters and elaborate initiatives and programmes in the field of agriculture.

                      

The Working Group will carry out its activities in conformity with its mandate and will fulfil the following tasks, paying special attention to digitalization in agriculture and discussing further cooperation opportunities in this field:

  • Enhance cooperation among the BSEC Member States in promoting the sustainable food systems, including through the elaboration of joint regional programs in these fields.
  • Promote simplification of export and import procedures for agricultural products among the BSEC Member States, particularly for the fresh fruit and vegetables.
  • Enhance cooperation among the BSEC Member States’ national genetic banks of plants for protecting, storing and exploring the genetic resources of plants in order to include the latter into national or regional programs of selection and to secure biodiversity.
  • Enhance cooperation in the production and processing of agricultural products, inter alia, in the vine-growing and the wine-making sectors, including through the organization of and participation in relevant exhibitions and fairs.
  • Promote cooperation related to the procedures of import/export of animals (e.g. certification, laboratory testing, additional requirements).
  • Enhance cooperation among the BSEC Member States in cases of epizootic situations.
  • Follow up on the developments in the field of fisheries.
  • Encourage the collection and analysis of scientific data in the field of fisheries resources.
  • Promote the elaboration of studies and the application of good practices in the field of fisheries.
  • Promote cooperation in the field of food and feed safety among the national competent authorities, national reference laboratories and relevant research institutions, in order to share experience and know-how.
  • Promote consultations on the issue of harmonizing the labelling standards for food products, as an important part of food quality and food safety in the Member States, in conformity with their obligations in other regional and international organizations and agreements.
  • Encourage cooperation and business contacts in the field of agriculture and agro-industry between producers, importers, exporters and other stakeholders from cooperatives and the private sector of the BSEC Member States.
  • Improve and disseminate solutions in agriculture in order to reduce environmental problems within the scope of sustainable water management.

 

  1. PRIORITIES OF THE 2019-2021 TERM

 

The key priorities for BSEC activity in the field of agriculture and agro-industry are defined by Goal 6 “Food Security and Safety” of the “BSEC Economic Agenda Towards an Enhanced BSEC Partnership”, adopted in 2012, namely:

 

  • Improving sustainable rural productivity and enhancing the international competitiveness of the Member States in food and agricultural products, in particular through: facilitating the access to new technologies and know-how, scaling up managerial innovations and harmonization and adoption of quality standards for products.
  • Promoting exchange of information, experience and best practices among the competent authorities, national reference laboratories, agrarian research and education institutions and the private sector enterprises in the fields of agriculture, agro-industry and food safety in the Member States.
  • Promoting the effective and sustainable use of land for the agricultural production in the BSEC Member States.
  • Promoting regional cooperation for the sustainable management of fishery resources.
  • Turkey also offer promoting the effective and sustainable use of water resources for agricultural production in the BSEC Member States to assess among the key priorities
  1. ACTIVITIES AND JOINT PROJECTS:

(The list of activities will be supplemented during the 2-year period by adding new events as they are planned by the Member States)

 

Activity

Objective

Expected Result

Date

Venue

1

Meeting of the Working Group

Discussion of current subjects on the agenda, launching of the project BSEC RCC SFS.

 

Endorsed Report of the meeting.

Signing of the BSEC RCC SFS project.

 

2 December 2019

 

İstanbul, BSEC HQ

2

Steering Committee of the RCC SFS

Establishment of the Centre

Securing the premises for the Centre and purchasing the necessary equipment

TBD

TBD

3

Conference of Fisheries and Aquaculture

Debating the state of affairs with fisheries and aquaculture in the Black Sea

Best practices would be identified to enhance public-private sector cooperation in these fields. The participants will propose some recommendations for Member States.

 

October – November 2020

 

Istanbul

4

Meeting of the Working Group

Discussion of current subjects on the agenda,

Fisheries and aquaculture

Recommendations for the Member States in the relevant fields.

 

 

April 2020

 

TBD

5

Meeting of Working Group

Discussion of developing a strategy on branding agricultural commodities

Best practices would be clarified in order to determine the framework of brand management in agri-food industry

TBD

TBD

6

Seminar on Water Management

Improving water management

Better water management, in order to achieve the efficient use of water through the re-use of agricultural run-off.

May 2020

TBD

7

Workshop on rural youth and women entrepreneurship

The Co-operation for a better rural development among BSEC Member States to contribute in sharing knowledge and innovative technological information for the sustainability of agriculture and improvement food security and food safety  for rural youth and women entrepreneurship

Recommendations for raising income level, a common legislation for a common support system, creating alternative income sources and create a collective mind to reduce rural poverty about rural youth among Member States

May-June 2020

Ankara

8

Meeting of  the Working Group

Preparing a BSEC Project with partners and applying for BSEC Project Development Fund (PDF) 

Improving sustainable rural productivity and enhancing the international competitiveness of the Member States in food and agricultural products

January-May

2020

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

 

10