In response to the request from participating countries at the 8th Annual Meeting of the Asian and Pacific Network for Testing of Agricultural Machinery (ANTAM) held on 15 and 16 December 2021, and following nominations of experts from 15 member States of ESCAP taking part in the initiative, CSAM has convened a Technical Working Group (TWG) with the task to develop a new testing code for combine harvesters. ANTAM is an initiative led by CSAM that aims to harmonize testing standards for agricultural machinery in the Asia-Pacific region. The ANTAM Standard Codes promote the use of safe, efficient and environmentally sound agricultural machinery in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The TWG is composed of nineteen technical experts in the field of agricultural machinery testing and agricultural engineering, who have undertaken several rounds of online consultations on 20 and 29 September; 31 October; 14 and 30 November 2022. The TWG members have elected as their Chair Ms. Ayesha Herath, from the Farm Mechanization Research Centre of Sri Lanka, and with the support of Mr. Sandro Liberatori, representing the ANTAM Technical Reference Unit, and of CSAM in its role as ANTAM Secretariat, they have worked on the initial drafting of the code, which aims to harmonize existing national test practices for combine harvesters in the region, also drawing upon other international standards. The TWG will continue its consultations into January 2023 with the goal to submit its work to the 9th ANTAM Annual Meeting for endorsement.