All representatives expressed their support to the continuance of AARNET due to multiple benefits their countries received from it. As regards new initiatives, AVRDC would send panels of promising vegetable lines including protocols to interested ASEAN member countries for trials. Results from the trials will be sent back to AVRDC for analyzing and sharing. AVRDC has already applied and received funding for AARNET members to attend an expert consultation on home, school and other public facility gardening to be held in Thailand in August 2012. This will include competitive start-up funding for implementing pilot projects in ASEAN member countries. Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore (in simplified Chinese), Thailand and Vietnam have offered to translate into their local national language two manuals published by AVRDC: Insect and mite pests on eggplant and Safer tomato production techniques. Soft copies of the final versions of the translated publication will be uploaded in the AARNET website for free downloading. Singapore would continue to conduct leafy vegetable variety trials with commercial varieties from ASEAN member countries. Singapore will then share the results of the trials with AARNET members. If other AARNET members would like to conduct their own trials, they are welcome to do so. On the second day, the Steering Committee Members had the opportunity to visit a farm in Singapore that produces a variety of leafy vegetables to supply supermarkets in the city state. The production is very intensive with about 16 cropping cycles per year. The young farm manager was very familiar with AVRDC and informed the visitors that he is regularly using AVRDC’s website for information.
2016: The 11th Steering Committee Meeting of AARNET was held 22-23 March 2016 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 2015: The 10th Steering Committee Meeting of AARNET was held 24-25 March 2015 in Pakse City, Laos. 2014: The 9th Steering Committee Meeting of AARNET was held 11-12 March 2014 in Bandung, Indonesia. 2013: The 8th Steering Committee Meeting of AARNET was held 19-20 March 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand. 2012: The 7th Steering Committee Meeting of AARNET was held 15-16 May 2012 in Singapore to update members on the status of the AARNET projects, discuss actions to be taken to move projects forward, and to deliberate on the future of AARNET. The meeting was attended by delegates from eight ASEAN member countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, and AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center. 2011: The 6th Steering Committee Meeting of AARNET was held on 24-25 May 2011 in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam to update members on the status of AARNET projects and other matters. The meeting was attended by delegates from four ASEAN member countries (Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand) as well as AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center’s East and Southeast Asia Office. 2010: The 5th Steering Committee Meeting of AARNET was held on 6-7 May 2010 in Hanoi, Viet Nam. Thirty-two delegates from six ASEAN member countries (Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam) and AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center attended. Fruitful discussions helped to move AARNET projects forward; including work on funding proposals for climate resilient vegetable production technologies for consideration by funding agencies such as the Asian Development Bank. The meeting also set a three-year target to gain concrete funding for AARNET projects. AARNET will also consider participating in Kasetsart University’s annual agricultural exhibition “Kaset Fair” in Thailand from 4-10 December 2010, where members can showcase their indigenous vegetable varieties. 2009: 4th ASC meeting, Bangkok, Thailand, 12 May. Joint trials on vegetable club root rot were conducted between AVA and partners in Indonesia and Singapore. 2008: 3rd ASC Meeting, Brunei Darussalam, 27-28 May. 2007: 2nd ASC Meeting, Singapore, 8-9 May. The Vision and Mission of AARNET were agreed on. 2006: In May AVRDC held a second workshop on “Conducting Trials of Promising Vegetable Varieties” in Taiwan with participation from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand. The first AARNET Steering committee (ASC) Meeting was held in Bangkok, Thailand on 3 May: AVRDC organized the “Review and Planning Meeting on Variety Selection in Southeast Asia.” Promising varieties were identified for further evaluations. 2005: In September – October AVRDC organized a workshop on “Conducting Trials of Promising Vegetable Varieties” at AVRDC Headquarters in Taiwan and proceedings were published. Participants from five AARNET member countries immediately implemented trials in their respective institutions with the seed materials provided by AVRDC. The Philippines’ Bureau of Agricultural Research set up a website for AARNET – (http://www.bar.gov.ph/aarnet/website) which was later migrated to the AVRDC website in January 2010. In May the 4th National Coordinators’ Meeting, Thailand was attended by AVRDC and seven ASEAN member countries (Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam). Three priority areas were identified for funding: A framework for the AARNET mechanism was developed and the AARNET Steering Committee (ASC) was established. AVRDC’s role in AARNET was re-affirmed – to serve as member of ASC, collaborate with ASEAN member countries in vegetable R&D, training and information sharing. Fourteen participants from seven AARNET member countries attended the workshop and were trained in how to conduct evaluation trials on vegetable varieties. 2001: Forum on Enhanced AARNET Linkage and Effectiveness held in Taiwan in September. 2000: Regional seminar on Vegetable Production and R&D held in Singapore in September. 1999: First meeting of AARNET in Singapore – considered the start of AARNET. 1998: At the 19th ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) meeting in Vietnam, Singapore was designated as the Lead Country for AARNET. The objective of the network is to enhance food supply through work with renowned institutes such as AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center, and to gain access to the vegetable germplasm from the region for evaluation and testing.
2017: The 12th Steering Committee Meeting of AARNET was held 23-25 May 2017 in Shanhua, Taiwan.