Climate change poses a considerable threat to global food security, with potentially existential economic, political, and social outcomes for humanity. Supporting a stable and resilient production of aquatic produce is not only an economic concern but a national security issue as well.

10th December 2021, International Association for Agriculture Sustainability (IAAS) Annual Meeting gathered more than 300 scholars, researchers, industry professionals and investors from 47 countries to discuss the challenges by climate change and share the solutions from different region’s respective.

The special guest, Professor Lee Chee Wee, Director of Aquaculture Innovation Centre (AIC) addressed the needs to the challenges ahead and the advantages of Singapore as a hub for agricultural development. In his speech, he specially introduced the Public-Private-Community Partnership (PPCP) is the model to integration of capital, talents and technology. This PPCP model was funded by the Singapore government to share the technology in knowledge with the communities in ASEAN countries, India, Oman and other countries through the network of Asia Development Bank.

Most intriguing session of the annual meeting was the panel discussion. It moderated by Dr. Tan Wee Liang, Associate Professor of Strategic Management at Singapore Management University (SMU) and comprised Professor Lee Chee Wee, Director of Aquaculture Innovation Centre (AIC), Dr. Ravi Khetarpal, Executive Secretary of APAARI and Dr. Ho-Hsien Chen, Dean of Faculty of Agriculture of Pingtung University of Science and Technology. Topics discussed include: how can we promote technology solutions between cross borders to tackle climate change, and help the underdevelopment countries to overcome famine and malnutrition. The discussion was thought-provoking and prompted many response from the participants.

In addition, topics touched based on the plans to promote and move forward by the organizations from our industry and academic guest speakers included Mr. David Shearer, Deputy Head of Secretariat at Commission on Sustainable Agriculture Intensification (CoSAI), Dr. Michael Philips, Director of CGIAR Research Program on Fish Agri-Food Systems (FISH) WorldFish, Professor Chih-Yang Huang, Associate Professor at Department of Aquaculture, National Taiwan Ocean University, Ms. Martina Spisiakova, Knowledge Management Coordinator, APAARI and Dr. Rasheed Sulaiman, Director Centre for Research on Innovation and Science Policy (CRISP).

The close of the conference ended with the IAAS Chairmanship Handover Ceremony. The founding chairman, Dr. Cheng-I Wei, formally handed over his chairmanship to Dr. Tzong-Ru Lee, Professor of National Chung Hsing University. Associate Professor Dr. Tan Wei Liang, Singapore Management University will succeed as vice-chairman. Mr. Fu Kuo-Chang, doctoral candidate in Business School of Singapore Management University is our new Secretary General.
IAAS will continue to combine technology, innovation and investment to promote sustainable agricultural development supporting Singapore in achieving its “30 by 30” vision and its responsibility to the global community.

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Agenda of 2021 IAAS Annual Meeting