The Agricultural Technical Cooperation Working Group (ATCWG) was established in 1996, first as an expert group and then renamed as a working group in 2000, to serve as a forum for APEC member economies to enhance the capacity of agriculture and its related industries to contribute to the economic growth, food security and social well-being in the region. The group’s objectives are to improve the capacity of agriculture and its related industries, and to share information and experiences in the areas of agriculture, biotechnology and animal and biogenetic resource management. The ATCWG prioritizes projects and activities that strengthen members' capacities to increase productivity and trade in agricultural products.
Challenges facing agriculture include the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, the deterioration and shortage of natural resources, increasing demand for food brought by a growing population, labor shortage in farming and major issues regarding animal and plant pests and diseases. APEC member economies need to strengthen their cooperation in the innovation and harnessing of agricultural technologies, and the facilitation of agricultural trade and investment. These will help in attaining a sustainable agri-food system in the region and with economies’ COVID-19 recovery efforts.
The work of the ATCWG contributes to APEC's trade facilitation agenda by reducing business transaction costs, enhancing marketing capacity and improving the implementation of agriculture-related provisions in free trade agreements.
In 2021, the ATCWG was renewed by APEC senior officials to continue its mandate until 2025 in providing support in the development of the Food Security Roadmap Towards 2030 in line with the Aotearoa Plan of Action. Along with the development of the Food Security Roadmap Towards 2030 Implementation Plan, APEC leaders have entrusted the ATCWG with:
- Strengthening food safety standards
- Responding to food security challenges including food loss and waste reduction, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on agri-food systems
- Promoting the development of next-generation sustainable biofuels
- Enhancing agriculture's ability to adjust and mitigate the impact of climate change
- Fostering digital transformation in agriculture by harnessing ICT technologies
- Empowering women and youth in the agriculture sector
- Strengthening technological cooperation in the strategic planning of ATCWG projects
The development of capacity building programs in these areas is now a core ATCWG activity.
The ATCWG is composed of government officials and experts from academia and works closely with the business community.
Contacts
Program Director
Current Activities
The ATCWG intends to carry out the following forum governance activities:
- Contribute to the Implementation Plan on the Food Security Roadmap Towards 2030;
- Contribute towards Food Security and Agriculture initiatives of the ATCWG, PPFS and other Food Security related fora; and
- Contribute to the APEC SOM Steering Committee on Economic and Technical Cooperation (SCE) reporting documents such as but not limited to:
- Participation in the SCE working group fora assessment; and
- Drafting of ATCWG’s annual report for endorsement.
2024 Forum Deliverables
28th ATCWG Annual Meeting
The 28th ATCWG Annual Meeting is currently scheduled to be held physically in Trujillo, Peru during the Food Security Week of the SOM3 cluster, which is scheduled to take place from 12 to 18 August 2024. In this meeting, member economies are expected to share their previous outcome of the projects conducted after the 27th meeting until present, latest agricultural innovations and policies, as well as possible upcoming ATCWG projects.
Collaborating with the PPFS and Other Food Security Related Fora on the Food Security Roadmap Towards 2030 initiatives
In 2024, the ATCWG will continue to pursue collaborations with the PPFS and other food security related fora to achieve the Food Security Roadmap Towards 2030 initiatives by focusing on six key action areas: digitalization and innovation, productivity, inclusivity, sustainability, public-private partnerships and SMART goals. The ATCWG is committed to but not limited to promoting sustainable, resilient agri-food systems in the APEC region.
Workshops in 2024
- ATC 01 2023A - Study and Workshop on the Associativity as a Strategy to Improve the Competitiveness of Women in Small Scale Agriculture in APEC Economies
- ATC 02 2023A - Promoting APEC Cooperation for Sustainable Biomass Energy from Agriculture Wastes
- ATC 02 2023S - Harmonising Biosecurity Regulatory Approaches in a Multilateral Context
- ATCWG 201 2023A - Survey and Workshop on Interconnecting Family Farmers with Consumers through Innovative Digital Platforms
- ATCWG 2024 - APEC Workshop on Enhancing Arable Land Resources and Promoting Food Security