Members of the Asia and Pacific Seed Alliance (APSA) elected four members to its Executive Committee (EC) at the association’s 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on November 25 in a virtual format.
Attended remotely by more than 149 active members, the AGM was held virtually due to persisting pandemic restrictions and challenges for international travel and gatherings.
After confirming quorum, the AGM was updated by Mr. Wichai Laocharoen in his annual President’s Report on the association’s activities and initiatives this past year. This was followed by a Financial Report from association Treasurer, Mr. Koh Teck Wah. The contents of their presentations were minuted and will be accessible through APSA’s membership platform.
One of the main highlights of this year’s AGM was an election to fill vacancies on the EC — APSA’s board of directors — as several current members’ tenures conclude in 2021.
These include Mr. John Liam Gimon, Mr. Koo Kyunghwan, Ms. Feng Lin Lin, Ms. Zhu Xiaobo and Immediate Past President, Mr. Muhammad Tahir Saleemi — who were all thanked for their contributions by President Wichai during the AGM.
The vacancies were for four seats in three categories, which were filled as follows:
Dr. Yang Yasheng from the China Seed Association was elected to fill the quota for seed associations category.
There were two vacancies in the Corporate members category — which includes seed enterprises and government seed agencies based in the Asia-Pacific region.
Re-elected for her second term in this category was Ms. Zhu Xiaobo of Wuhan Qingfa-Hesheng Seed, while Dr. Kwanghong Lee of the Korea Seed & Variety Service was elected to fill the second vacancy in this category.
Finally, Mr. François Burgaud from the French Interprofessional Organisation
for Seeds and Plants, or L'interprofession des semences et plants (SEMAE)
was elected to fill the vacancy in the associate category, which is represented by seed trade and/or plant breeders associations, enterprises or governmental seed agencies based outside the Asia-Pacific.
Tenures of the newly-elected EC members are from 2022 to 2024 (effective from November 29, 2021).
Following is the 15-member APSA EC.
Aside from reviewing and approving financial and operational matters for the current and upcoming fiscal years, the AGM was also highlighted by important announcements, confirming the venues for the 2022 and 2023 AGMs.
President Wichai announced that APSA’s 2022 AGM will take place on November 17, which will coincide with the 2022 Asian Seed Congress, planned to be held as an in-person meeting in Bangkok Thailand from 14-18 November next year.
The event will be co-organized by APSA and the Thai Seed Trade Association (THASTA) who will steer the National Organizing Committee.
Finally, Wichai announced that the 2023 Asian Seed Congress is planned to be held in Christchurch, New Zealand in the fourth quarter of that year. Wichai explained that this was determined through the polling of APSA members, with the final decision endorsed by the EC. More details will be announced as they are confirmed.