Vietnam has proposed new models of cooperation between ASEAN and Latin America in the trade of agricultural products to improve bilateral cooperation and ensure food security.

At the ASEAN – Latin America Business Forum in Jakarta on July 9-10, Deputy Minister of Commerce Nguyen Cam Tu said that new models can be adopted by sharing information and arising opportunities between countries, creating effective links between suppliers and importers of agricultural produce.

To improve trade around the globe, it is necessary to join with others and remove trade barriers on agricultural products, as well as giving developing countries preferential mechanisms, said Tu.

He stressed that in order to ensure global food security, more countries need to increase investment in agricultural production, to ensure better quality farm produce, develop trade by setting up distribution networks and monitor the industry closely, and to identify any possible food crisis in the future as early as possible.

The event, with the theme ‘towards a sustainable future’, focused its discussions on more cooperation between ASEAN–Latin America, an increase in future investment in emerging economies and more action to ensure food and energy security in the future./.