The Deputy Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation, Mr Patrick Lai, attended the tenth Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Food Security Ministerial Meeting held yesterday (August 9) and today (August 10) in Incheon, Korea, to discuss and exchange views with representatives of other member economies on various topics such as adoption of digital technologies, sharing of knowledge on advanced technologies in agriculture, driving innovation in agri-food systems and enhancing resilience and sustainability of food supply chains.
      
     The Meeting, themed "Driving Innovation in Agri-food Systems for Shared Prosperity", aims at fostering a more connected, innovative, and prosperous Asia-Pacific region. All member economies reaffirmed their commitment to promoting co-operation among APEC member economies and fostering solidarity to strengthen food security through productive, sustainable, resilient and innovative agri-food systems for the prosperity of all our people and future generations.

     Speaking at the Meeting, Mr Lai said that the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) will continue to collaborate with member economies to promote sustainable agriculture and development of innovative agri-food systems in the Asia-Pacific region. Additionally, he introduced the visions and work targets for the modernisation and sustainable development of the agricultural industry as outlined in the Blueprint for the Sustainable Development of Agriculture and Fisheries, which was formulated jointly by the HKSAR Government and the trade. At the Meeting, he also reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the HKSAR Government to development of innovative agri-food systems and regional collaboration, and underscored the necessity of collaborative efforts among member economies to address the pressing environmental challenges including extreme weather events and natural disasters which continue to undermine food supply chains, in particular for small-scale producers and to build a resilient and sustainable food supply system. 

     Mr Lai remarked that the HKSAR Government will actively collaborate with APEC partners on promoting sustainable and advanced production methods to enhance productivity and competitiveness of farmers, and will continue to maintain close communication and co-operation with APEC member economies on topics related to innovation in agri-food systems and the promotion of sustainable agricultural development.

Ends/Sunday, August 10, 2025
Issued at HKT 19:00

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