Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban – Rural Alliances 10-12 August 2011
Organised by the RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ASIAN FOOD SECURITY 2011 – FEEDING ASIA IN THE 21ST CENTURY: BUILDING URBAN-RURAL ALLIANCES OFFICIAL CONFERENCE REPORT
ORGANISED BY THE RSIS CENTRE FOR NON-TRADITIONAL SECURITY (NTS) STUDIES AND THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN REGIONAL CENTER FOR GRADUATE STUDY AND RESEARCH IN AGRICULTURE (SEARCA)
FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL SECURITY COORDINATION SECRETARIAT (NSCS), THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE, SINGAPORE
10–12 AUGUST 2011 SINGAPORE
S. RAJARATNAM SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY Recommended citation: RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, 2011, International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 – Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances (10–12 August 2011), Report, Singapore.
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Front cover: pbev/Flickr (rooftop garden) Centrespread: RSIS Centre for NTS Studies
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This report summarises the proceedings of the Conference as interpreted by the rapporteurs and editors of the RSIS Centre for NTS Studies. Participants neither reviewed nor approved of this report. This Conference report adheres to a variation of the Chatham House Rule. Accordingly, beyond the speakers and paper presenters cited, no attributions have been made Table of Contents
Table of Contents Executive Summary 4
High-level Forum – ‘Think Global, Act Asia’ 7
Session 1: The Scope of Food Security in Asia 12
Session 2: Availability – Promoting Sustainable Agricultural Production 16
Session 3: Access – Understanding Markets and Supply Chains 20
Session 4: Utilisation – Ensuring Health and Nutrition 24
Session 5: Appropriate Investments to Match Urban Food Security Needs with 29 Areas of Surplus
Session 6: Statement of the International Conference on Asian Food Security 36 (ICAFS) 2011
Programme 40
List of Speakers and Moderators 44
List of Participants 46
About the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in 58 Agriculture (SEARCA)
About the RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies 59
About the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang 60 Technological University
3 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Executive Summary
The International Conference on Asian Food Security High-level Forum (ICAFS) took place on 10–12 August 2011 at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel in Singapore. ICAFS 2011, • Southeast Asia is currently facing escalating food themed ‘Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban- challenges. Significant food price fluctuations in Rural Alliances’, was convened in the context of complex 2007–2008 and again in 2010–2011 have served as and multifaceted challenges throughout food systems in the most recent reminders of the potential volatility of Asia. The conference sought to address timely questions regional food systems, and these highly publicised relating to these challenges, and foster discussions among events have underscored the stakes involved in the a range of stakeholders from Asia’s food sectors. food security sector. • Population growth, urbanisation, economic Many food security questions centre upon the need to development and greater affluence, changing food sustainably and equitably feed and nourish a larger, preferences, price volatilities and the effects of more urban and increasingly affluent Asian population climate change are all affecting Asia’s food systems in the face of spiralling food prices, changing agricultural in major ways. practices, natural resource and environmental concerns • The experiences of the European Union have relevance (such as water and arable land) and the growing number for the integration of regional food systems in Asia. of undernourished in the region. In order to formulate • Rural farmers face the challenge to first survive, then a multifaceted and integrated global strategy to tackle increase productivity and finally become involved this unique set of circumstances, ICAFS 2011 brought in the marketplace. Their success or failure to progress together an array of experts from across public, private, through these stages is vital for the future of Asian civil society and academic spheres. food security.
These participants examined a range of issues at the The Scope of Food Security in Asia urban-rural interface in the key dimensions of food security: food availability, physical access, economic • Addressing the primary vulnerabilities of Asian food access and utilisation. These dimensions, along with a systems requires stronger understandings of the high-level forum, a session framing the scope of Asian linkages between urban and rural areas. food challenges and a capstone session, constituted the • There is an urgent need to rethink food security, and organisational structure of the ICAFS 2011 proceedings. promote sustainable agriculture on a far greater The conference culminated with the ‘ICAFS Statement on scale. Such promotion should not come at the expense Feeding Asia in the 21st Century’, which can be found at of continuing yield growth and efficiency the conclusion of this Report along with a full conference improvements, but rather pursued as part of such programme. The following outlines key elements of the agricultural advances. ICAFS 2011 proceedings.
4 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• Advances in fishery production will be vital for • Asia is experiencing a modernisation of food supply meeting the nutritional needs of many people chains and a supermarket revolution at a pace never throughout Asia, and cases already exist that before experienced by any other region. This dynamic demonstrate how such advances might proceed. has effects that are rippling through food systems, from • The private sector plays, and must continue to play, key the farm to the consumer. roles in facilitating the spread of agricultural • From a macroeconomic perspective, the technologies to small-scale farmers. financialisation of food commodities is not the main culprit behind recent food price crises; and therefore Availability – Promoting Sustainable Agricultural limiting investment by commodity index funds and Production access to derivative trading is unlikely to prevent the next crisis. • There is a need for a ‘doubly Green Revolution’ that will lead to increasing food production while reducing Utilisation – Ensuring Health and Nutrition land degradation and the unsustainable overuse of fertilisers, pesticides and water. • The largest proportion of the globe’s undernourished • Fish is often neglected in food security discussions reside in Asia and the Pacific – an estimated 578 dominated by crops and livestock, but is the key million. It is essential to identify the food insecure provider of protein for a large percentage of the and create strategies to rapidly respond to spikes in population in Asia. This should be recognised and undernutrition. represented in future food security strategies. • Biofortification is a vital tool for achieving better • There is significant untapped potential in urban and dietary conditions for, and improving the nutritional peri-urban agriculture throughout many parts of Asia. status of, Asia’s most vulnerable populations. This likewise should be recognised and represented • Food safety contributes to the improved nutrition and in future food security strategies. health status of a population; reduces public health • Genetic modifications and changes in crop traits can costs; reduces food losses; increases availability, be vital tools for improving yields and reducing losses. stability and utilisation of food along the food chain; Asian stakeholders need to consider these opportunities and increases national and international market more closely. access. Efforts to promote food safety are thus mightily important and should be redoubled. Access – Understanding Markets and Supply Chains • Experiences from parts of Asia demonstrate that protracted and consistent nutrition security policies • The maturing of agricultural markets has created can significantly improve the health and well-being challenges and opportunities for small-holders and it of a population. is essential that they become more thoroughly integrated into market systems in order to move out of subsistence modes of living. • There are many opportunities in Asia for agribusiness, as regional population growth drives increased demand for food, and as income growth leads to diversification in food preferences.
5 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Appropriate Investments to Match Urban Food Security ICAFS 2011 Statement on Feeding Asia in Needs with Areas of Surplus the 21st Century
• Trade plays an important role in enhancing Asian Statement Highlights food security, as even the region’s most self-reliant food producing countries still rely upon food imports • Regain investment momentum in the agriculture and to meet their domestic demands. For these reasons, food sectors, and redouble R&D efforts. Asian countries should position themselves to take • Judiciously pursue enhanced science and advantage of any opportunities provided by the Doha policy innovation. round of international trade negotiations. • Address the plight of the region’s chronic poor. • Land acquisition in Asia has accelerated in part as • Enhance capacities to sustain increases in farm a result of the food price fluctuations of 2007–2008; production and to diversify livelihood activities to countries with land and water deficits invest and often increase incomes. take control of land for food production. This situation • Promote greater small-holder participation in the creates challenges and opportunities, and recipient transformation of local retail markets, supply and states in Asia should pursue mutually beneficial distribution chains, and expanding international relationships with investors and protect the rights of trade systems. their domestic populations. • Take pragmatic and concrete efforts to link policies • Brazil’s agricultural successes can provide developing in the food and health sectors. Asian countries with several important lessons on • Pursue risk-based approaches to food safety that are production gains, the protection of small-scale farmers predicated upon leading scientific knowledge and and engagement with international food markets. extend throughout entire food chains. • Rather than a second Green Revolution, Asia needs • Extend existing foundations to create positive symbiotic an ‘evolution’ of existing food strategies that builds relationships between producing and on past experiences and creates more stable regional consuming actors. food systems. Paramount to any such strategy will be • Recognise the importance of agriculture for rural the capacity to be both profitable and sustainable. employment and development, and implement policies that help rural actors face the challenges that exist in changing Asian food systems. • Utilise resources available in urban contexts to promote sustainable agricultural advancement in rural settings.
The full text of this Statement can be found on page 34
6 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances High-level Forum – ‘Think Global, Act Asia’
High-level Forum – ‘Think Global, Act Asia’
Why ASEAN Needs to Be Concerned about Food Security In response to these challenges, ASEAN member states have implemented several measures to soften the impact Southeast Asia is currently facing escalating food of food-related risks, particularly on the most vulnerable challenges. Significant food price fluctuations in segments of their populations. These include export 2007–2008 and again in 2010–2011 have served as restrictions, price controls, price subsidies and import the most recent reminders of the potential volatility of facilitation. Such approaches are understandable and at regional food systems, and these highly publicised events times seemingly the only option available to governments. have underscored the stakes involved in the However, there are both costs and benefits from these food security sector. types of state intervention in food markets, as these strategies potentially involve competing objectives, that of With regard to food security, Southeast Asia is a region of protecting consumers, against that of assisting agricultural contrasts. The region is home to the world’s largest rice producers to benefit from rising prices. exporters, as well as to the largest importer and consumer of rice per capita globally. Southeast Asia continues to While far from perfect, ASEAN efforts to coordinate enjoy the benefits of vibrant regional economic growth regional food policies, create a forum for the discussion and poverty reduction, yet over 15 per cent of the Asia- of food-related issues, and act as a centre for information Pacific’s undernourished can be found in the region. The and monitoring which have helped to reduce hunger and region is deeply endowed with natural resources that facilitate the availability of affordable, nutritious food. are valuable for agriculture, yet environmental stresses However, as regional food challenges become more continue to threaten many key environmental systems acute, more action is needed. There is an urgent need and, by extension, future food production. Southeast to develop policy frameworks that strategically pursue Asia has a rich agrarian history upon which to draw, yet measures and actions on behalf of all member states urbanisation trends are changing traditional connections that can contribute to the long-term food security of the between the region’s land and its people. ASEAN region.
These defining contrasts reflect a region battling ASEAN must continue to be proactive in facilitating to attain food security for all of its citizenry. As it is, partnerships throughout the region between public and pervasive insecurities continue to exist throughout the private enterprises that seek to contribute to regional region, manifested through hunger, undernutrition and food security. ASEAN must also serve as a conduit for health problems among the region’s most vulnerable regional dialogue, as this can help to ensure that zero populations; reduced agricultural productivity at times sum approaches do not find traction within the regional of lean food access; the perpetuation of poverty; shifting food security sector. Finally, ASEAN will continue to trends in migration, demography and urbanisation; and promote and help drive food security policies that align the potential destabilisation of governments and other with the principles of social justice and environmental social systems at community, state and regional levels. sustainability. The people-centred approaches that define much of the character of the organisation must be applied to the food security sector in order for progress along lines that benefit all sectors of society to be achieved.
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Asian Food Security in a Global Food Context In addition to the above, the role played by agriculture in supporting Asia’s food security has been undergoing a The number of hungry people in Asia has been on the transformation. Agriculture’s contribution to the economy rise since the mid-1990s, and a large majority (62 per in relation to other sectors has been on the decline over cent) of the world’s undernourished continue to live in the last several decades, with agriculture’s share of gross Asia. Strong economic growth has propelled a number of domestic product (GDP) falling from 43 to 18 per cent Asian countries towards middle-income status. However, between 1961 and 2009. The proportion of developing these same countries are home to an overwhelming share Asia’s economically active population employed in (86 per cent) of the region’s undernourished, with India agriculture has also steadily fallen from 70 to 55 per accounting for 43 per cent and China 24 per cent. cent between 1980 and 2010, and is projected to further fall to 49 per cent in 2020. However, it is important to Several emerging trends further threaten Asian and emphasise that agriculture still employs a significant global food security. First, the population of the region’s share of the workforce and will continue to do so into developing countries is projected to increase from 3.6 to the foreseeable future. In terms of farm size, small-holder 4.5 billion between 2010 and 2050. Most of the growth agriculture not only continues to dominate the Asian is in cities, with the urban population set to surpass the farming system – 87 per cent of the world’s 500 million rural population in 2028. As a result of the growing small-holder farms are in Asia – but land holdings in the and changing population, demand for more and higher region are getting smaller as a result of population growth quality food will continue to rise. Second, increased and inheritance-based fragmentation. There is also a constraints on natural resources in Asia, such as land rapid transformation of supply chains with 40 per cent degradation and water scarcity, put severe pressure of agricultural produce going to retail in supermarkets. on agricultural sustainability and food security in the region. Moreover, these environmental challenges are In response to these trends and in order to achieve set to become more pronounced as food demands sustainable food security in the region, a comprehensive continue to rise. Third, international prices of major food policy and investment agenda needs to achieve commodities have risen sharply in 2010–2011, only a the following: couple of years removed from the last food-price spike. Since June 2010, for example, international maize prices • Improve small-holder productivity. have more than doubled, while wheat prices have almost • Protect vulnerable people. doubled. Domestic food prices in many countries in Asia • Support transparent, fair and open trade. have also increased rapidly. Lastly, climate change will • Establish regional strategic grain reserves. put additional pressure on natural resources and food • Exercise extreme caution on biofuel expansion. security through fomenting higher and more variable • Create regional frameworks for knowledge sharing temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, and and better coordination. increased occurrences of extreme weather events. According to recent projections by the International Nothing short of such multipronged approaches Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Asia’s production will be able to meet Asia’s contemporary and future of irrigated wheat and rice will be respectively 14 food security challenges. and 11 per cent lower in 2050 than in 2000 due to climate change.
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Effects of the European Union’s Food and Agricultural Europe is a vital supplier of food to the world. It is one Trade Policies on Food Security for Developing and/or of the world’s top exporters together with the US, Brazil Net Importing Countries and China and is a leading exporter of final products such as wine, wheat and food preparations. European exports The European Union (EU) has been accused of are mainly targeted at developed countries such as the dumping practices in relation to its agricultural exports US and Japan along with large emergent markets such to developing and net importing countries and been as China and Russia. blamed for destroying small-scale farms in Africa through distortive trade policies. Are these accusations On the other hand, the EU is also the world’s top importer justified? The reality is that the EU has made great strides of agricultural products. The agricultural trade balance in liberalising its trade regime and fostering increased of the last 10 years shows that Europe has become the competitiveness with other agricultural exporters, but still world’s largest net importer of agricultural goods from greater strides to this end remain possible. developing countries. EU imports are much larger than those by the US, China, Japan and Russia, and its imports The aim of the EU’s food and agricultural trade policies are more diverse in product and in origin. is a progressive liberalisation of agricultural trade that is consistent with the statutes of the World Trade The abovementioned reforms and those that are currently Organization (WTO). Over the last two decades, under discussion in the EU are central to the region’s the EU has made progress towards this goal in the strategies for promoting global food, environmental following areas: and social security. Paramount among its objectives are the promotion of broad-based rural economic • Progressively phasing out export subsidies. growth, better access to land for the rural poor, support • Increasing market access. for agricultural research, enhancement of education • Converting domestic support into ‘green box’- and training, and institution building. For the period compatible measures 2007–2013, EU spending for development cooperation with African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries The effects of these efforts have been largely positive is over 3 billion euros per year mainly via national or for international trade. There has been a cumulative regional programmes. reduction in EU price support and significant changes in the net production surplus of key agricultural products Despite this progress, more action is needed to improve from 1990/1994 to 2005/2009. With the exception of agricultural trade and help address global food security. maize, the net production surplus of cereals has fallen Export subsidies must be abolished. There must be better over the years. For example, wheat net production surplus market access through further duty reduction, special fell from 35 per cent in 1990/1994 to about 7 per cent in and differential treatment of developing countries and 2005/2009. Drastic changes in the production of beef and the abolition of tariff escalation. The recent policy path sugar have also seen the net production surplus of these in domestic support must be continued. Food crops must products fall dramatically during this period. not be used for biofuels. The 0.7 per cent GDP target for overseas development assistance by rich countries must be fulfilled. Investments in agricultural R&D, extension and networking must increase. Finally, food aid for emergency cases must be ensured.
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Food Security, Livelihoods and the Rural Poor The Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ANGOC) has been involved For the millions of small-holder farmers in Asia, dreams of in two community initiatives in this area. The first is credit facilities, land ownership and resources, profitable the Sustainable Agriculture for Poverty Reduction livestock, education, increased market opportunities and initiative which aims to contribute to the goal of poverty better infrastructure have yet to be realised. As a result reduction by enhancing capacities of non-governmental of such deficiencies, they remain a highly vulnerable organisations (NGOs) and Asian rural communities to sector of society. Regrettably, contemporary trends increase agricultural productivity through sustainable such as environmental degradation, climate disasters, agriculture. Projects include the production of vegetables, urbanisation, commercial agriculture, the emergence of rice and wheat in India; the production of organic rice, food-based biofuels, mining and extractive industries, and cassava, and zallaca fruit in Indonesia; and the production deforestation further threaten their livelihoods and their of organic rice and sugarcane in the Philippines. very existence. Numerous international institutions, such as the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization A preliminary impact assessment showed that the net of the United Nations (FAO) and International Fund for income from employing sustainable agricultural practices Agricultural Development (IFAD), have acknowledged is greater than that from conventional agriculture, thus and recognised the importance of the small-holder farmer demonstrating that sustainable agriculture presents a in global food security and have called for increased viable option for reducing poverty. However, sustainable investments in rural development. agriculture is knowledge-intensive and requires broad- based training among farmers, retraining of agricultural Three stages characterise the development of poor rural technicians, the incorporation of new techniques into farmers. The first is the survival stage where farmers’ access agriculture curriculums and a range of support services. to basic services and productive resources is critical. Here, agrarian reform and land tenure improvement are ANGOC’s second initiative, called Promoting Rural key issues. Second, there is a productivity stage during Industries and Market Enhancement (PRIME), aims to which increasing agricultural productivity, employing link farmers to markets through a value-chain approach. sustainable agricultural practices and practising crop PRIME works with 42 microenterprises and organisations diversification are the main components. Finally, the engaged in the production, distribution and marketing of growth stage finds farmers learning to be entrepreneurial, organic rice, muscovado sugar and seaweed throughout and participating in markets and industry-oriented the Philippines. enterprises. There must be a paradigm shift among small- holder farmers, from a site-focused or individual approach The success of the projects described above has to a more industry or community/national approach. They demonstrated that a more people- or community-centred need to be able to go beyond subsistence farming, and approach can be employed to address food security engage in more sustainable livelihoods that can enhance effectively. Community-based social enterprises that their capabilities, lead to equitable use of their resources simultaneously focus on access to resources, sustainable and ensure environmental sustainability. agriculture practices, microenterprise development and industry have the ability to improve the lives of the millions of rural poor in Asia.
10 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances High-level Forum – ‘Think Global, Act Asia’
Discussion externalities of producing meat, such as water, land and resources, need to be reflected in the prices of products. The discussion during this session centred around National programmes also need to seek alternative ways four topics: the use of genetically modified organisms of producing meat and other sources of protein, including (GMOs) in the EU; the over-consumption of meat; food taking lessons from indigenous agriculture and looking prices and volatility; and the priorities for regional at neglected food crops. food security strategies. Discussions about food price hikes must strike a delicate The import of genetically modified (GM) products for balance between the need to address consumer concerns feed use is necessary if the EU wishes to continue to over high prices, and continuing to provide incentives for produce its own pork and pork products. Although the small-holder farmers. This means that discussions must majority of EU consumers are against GM food, hundreds not be solely focused on preventing price hikes from of thousands of farmers will be negatively impacted occurring but rather on stabilising food price volatility should the EU turn away from GM products and import (which should be done not through invasive government pork from Latin America. Thus, current EU authorisations interventions but through market mechanisms). To reap for zero tolerance for GM products need to be changed. the benefits of higher prices, small-holder farmers must have access to credit, technology, inputs and As for the production of GM food in the EU, there has other resources. been some slight progress in new member countries; they tend to be more open to the technology. It was arguably In order to address the twin aims of poverty reduction a step backwards for regional integration when the and food security in Asia, governments need to prioritise President of the European Commission allowed member agriculture and make pro-poor investments, particularly states to make their own rules concerning the adoption if they wish to maintain stability and peace within their of GMOs. A rethinking of these policies would be wise, borders. With 80 per cent of Asia’s poor still residing in but it is unlikely that there will be much movement on rural areas, significant investments in agriculture R&D, GMO issues in the short to medium term. To convince extension services, small-farm technologies, post-harvest consumers, there needs to be a significant price difference loss and waste management, and farmers’ insurance are between GM and non-GM products – which currently urgently needed. Unlike in other parts of the world, the does not exist. small-scale agriculture found in the region requires less capital intensive investments. Changing dietary patterns and the over-consumption of meat are issues complicated by the fact that they touch No single-measure approach will solve the problems of on peoples’ own cultural sensitivities, levels of awareness hunger and poverty in Asia, and no individual country and economics. It would be difficult to legislate lifestyle can tackle them alone. Regional organisations such as changes due to the notion that people should have the ASEAN and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) must right to choose their food. However, changes can come work to extend regional frameworks for knowledge about with better information and knowledge about the sharing, seek consensus, and coordinate common actions nutritional, social and environmental costs of the over- and positions to address food security challenges. consumption of meat. From an economic perspective, the
11 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 1: The Scope of Food Security in Asia
Session 1: The Scope of Food Security in Asia
The Interdependence between Urban and Rural Food Urban agriculture will of course not be able to completely Security in Asia meet the growing demands for food in cities, but urban food production can play a role in supplementing rural Population increases, urbanisation and high economic agriculture. Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA), growth are trends affecting food security in Asia in which encompasses the growing of plants and the raising significant ways. The world’s population will increase of animals within and around cities, offers a way to from the current 6.7 billion to roughly 9.1 billion in improve urban food security. The practice of UPA can 2050, requiring food production to rise by 70 per cent. take many forms: agro-parks, vertical farming, rooftop This production growth must be realised in the face of farming, aquaponics, aeroponics and the like. The areas changing consumption patterns, the impacts of climate surrounding urban centres or extended metropolitan change and the growing scarcity of water and land. regions in particular play an important part in the provision of food to urban consumers, and the proximity Rapid urbanisation has also thrown up new challenges to of these areas to urban markets lowers food transport and urban food security. Land-use changes in particular are a storage costs. major challenge to urban food security because as cities expand, prime agricultural lands are being converted into In addition, even as cities develop their capacity to residential and industrial areas. Most cities in developing produce food, renewed efforts must be undertaken to countries have great difficulty coping with the fast pace of improve agriculture in rural areas. Decades of faltering development. As cities struggle to absorb ever increasing public commitment to investing in agriculture have numbers of people, more slums can be seen; and these hindered the ability of farmers to pull themselves out of urban poor are exceedingly vulnerable as they spend a poverty, or cope with price volatility, and climatic and major part of their income on food. economic shocks. To have the greatest impact on food productivity and ultimately on poverty reduction, public Sustained economic growth in countries such as investments in agriculture must be complemented by China and India has also led to changing consumption investments in non-farm rural development, soft and patterns and created another set of challenges. With hard infrastructure development, better education and higher disposable incomes, people move away from effective healthcare. diets based on staple grains, vegetables and fruits, and limited foods of animal origin towards more varied diets Making More Food Available: Promoting Sustainable that include more pre-processed food and more foods of Agricultural Production animal origin. The diversion of grains to feed livestock has therefore impacted on the availability of cereals. Over the last half century, remarkable changes in agricultural practices have resulted in increased food The trends discussed above highlight the need to better production across the world. Since the genesis of the understand the dynamics and growing importance of Green Revolution in the early 1960s, gross world food urban food security. Unlike those living in rural areas, production (cereals, coarse grains, roots and tubers, most urban dwellers are net food buyers and spend a pulses and oil crops) has grown from 1.84 billion tonnes large part of their disposable income on food. This makes in 1961 to 4.38 billion tonnes in 2007. This increase is them highly vulnerable to fluctuations in food prices and due to changes to crop varieties (day-length insensitive, disruptions in the global food supply chain. Addressing partitioning of carbohydrates to grain rather than straw, these vulnerabilities requires an understanding of the disease resistance), changes to agricultural practices linkages between urban and rural areas. (fertilisers, water management, pesticides), and broader social, economic and political change.
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Although these changes have had many positive effects, There has also been an increasing emphasis on biomass there have also been significant costs. Increases in yield as an energy source because the continued reliance have been achieved without great expansion in land on traditional energy sources such as petroleum is not use, but this high-energy crop production has involved sustainable. Biomass is obtained primarily from plants, sharp increases in fertiliser, pesticide and water use, animals and their by-products. The most important feature which has in turn led to increased emissions of nitrates of biomass is that it is a renewable source of energy, unlike and pesticides into the environment and the depletion hydrocarbon-based resources. Agricultural products such of ground-water aquifers. The increasing mechanisation as switchgrass, soybean, corn, sugarcane, sugar beet, of farming led to manual labour being replaced, which wheat, cassava, sorghum, miscanthus, palm oil and led to the worsening of poverty in some rural areas. jatropha are now specially grown for the production of More recently, climate change is posing challenges to a wide range of biofuels such as biodiesel, bioalcohols, food security. Agriculture-based livelihood systems that ethanol, biogas and syngas. If these fuels can become are already vulnerable to food insecurity face immediate more efficient, avoid displacing important agricultural risk of increased crop failure, new patterns of pests and activities and not lead to serious food price distortions, diseases, lack of appropriate seeds and planting material, they could become a greater part of future food and and loss of livestock. energy security calculations.
There is an urgent need to rethink food security, and Fisheries Resources in Cambodia: Implications for Food promote sustainable agriculture on a far greater scale. Security, Human Nutrition and Conservation Sustainability rests on the principle that we must meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of The contribution of freshwater capture fisheries to national future generations to meet their own needs. Not only does food security and the economy in Cambodia is higher sustainable agriculture address many environmental and than in any other country. Cambodians traditionally social concerns, it also offers innovative and economically consume fish daily in one form or another: fresh fish, viable opportunities for growers, labourers, consumers, salted dried fish, salted fish, smoked fish, fermented policymakers and many others in the entire food system. fish, fish sauce, and most importantly, prohoc fish paste. Of the 1,200 known fish species in the Mekong River, One way of achieving sustainable agriculture is by 500 species are found in the section of the river that transitioning to a ‘bioeconomy’. A bioeconomy can be flows through Cambodia. Cambodia’s freshwater capture thought of as a world in which biotechnology contributes fisheries, with an annual production of between 300,000 to a significant share of economic output. The use of and 400,000 tonnes, rank as the fourth most productive biotechnology in agriculture is an evolving success story. worldwide after China, India and Bangladesh. The total By 2015, approximately half the global production of value of fisheries is estimated at USD1.2–1.6 billion the major food and industrial feedstock crops could or 9–12 per cent of Cambodia’s total GDP. In all, an come from plant varieties developed using one or more estimated 6 million Cambodians or 45 per cent of the types of biotechnology. These biotechnologies include population are involved in fishing. not only GM but also intragenics, gene shuffling, and marker-assisted selection. Research into agronomic Most freshwater fish production is concentrated on and traits to improve yields and resistance to stresses such around the Tonle Sap lake and river system (including the as drought, salinity and high temperatures has increased branches and floodplains). The lake, which hosts 296 fish rapidly since the early 1990s, as shown by the increase species account for 16 per cent of the total fish catch in in the number of GM field trials of agronomic traits by the Mekong River Basin and 60 per cent of Cambodia’s small and large firms and by public research institutions. fish production. Fish is an important source of protein Biotechnologies other than GM can also be widely used in Cambodia, constituting more than 80 per cent of the to improve the quality and health of livestock for dairy population’s total animal protein intake. The average and meat products. annual fish consumption in the country is estimated at 52.4 kg per person. The fisheries sector also attracts both
13 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 1: The Scope of Food Security in Asia local and international tourists. The floating villages of production. However, they also constitute about half of Chong Khneas and Kompong Phluk in Siem Reap, the the 1 billion people living in chronic hunger. Mekong dolphins in Kratie, and the mangrove forests and coral reefs in Koh Kong and Kampong Som are but some To improve the productivity of small-holder farmers, the of the major attractions. right technologies need to be delivered to them. Improved technologies could help unlock the potential of plants, However, fisheries production per person in Cambodia and help farmers grow more using less water and land. has experienced a gradual decline over the past decades, Insecticides, fungicides and herbicides, for instance, with average per capita fish catch declining from 347 kg in protect crops from insects, diseases and competition from 1940 to 116 kg in 2010. Among the reasons are industrial weeds. Better seeds could help improve crop growth and development; upstream damming; disruptive fishing quality, and decrease produce losses. Modern science methods, such as explosives, mosquito nets, electric can identify key natural traits of a plant in order to breed fishing, and poisoning; and the use of highly hazardous improved varieties with the highest possible yield. In chemicals imported from neighbouring countries and other instances, GM can be used to achieve desirable used indiscriminately, for instance, to harvest fish or to traits, such as disease resistance or herbicide tolerance. preserve dry fish. In addition to a concerted mobilisation of farming The trends of declining fish catch can, however, be resources, reducing global hunger also requires reversed through foresighted actions. First, the strategic that issues of gender inequality be more thoroughly development plan for the fisheries sector (Strategic Planning addressed. Women constitute the bulk of unpaid or Framework 2010–2019) which calls for the management, poorly paid farm labour (more than 70 per cent) in conservation and development of sustainable fisheries most developing countries and they produce 60–80 per resources, needs to be strengthened. Second, research cent of food. However, women own only 1 per cent of on the nutritional value of fish needs to progress and the land. General policies to improve income-earning assessments of food and nutrition security vulnerability abilities and opportunities for women include reforming to hydropower dam development and climate change property rights systems to be more equitable toward need further exploration. Finally, Cambodia must reduce women; eliminating barriers to women’s labour-market post-harvest losses and increase the use of bycatch and participation; removing constraints to participation in fish products for human consumption. If it can achieve credit and other markets; and developing technologies these goals, Cambodia may come to exemplify the ability that increase the returns to female labour, whether through of a developing country to attain food security against a increased demand or increased labour productivity. formidable range of challenges. Private agribusiness firms have an important role to The Role of Agribusiness and Opportunities for play in helping small-holder farmers improve their Investment in Food Security productivity. In Bangladesh, for example, there is an initiative which involves hiring female market developers The need to address food security has never been greater or ‘farmer’s sisters’ to keep in direct contact with the and this realisation sees the sector moving up national farmer’s wives. The role of each ‘sister’ is to conduct agendas around the world. Contemporary challenges daily family meetings, visit farmers’ wives and meet with to food production and overall food systems will be felt retailers to recommend crop solution packages. Similar most directly in rural economies in developing countries, strategies have been successful for setting up information where agriculture has traditionally been dominated by and service hubs for growers in India that enable them small-holder farmers. Small-holder farmers currently to obtain pest and disease information on their mobile contribute roughly 25 per cent of the overall global food phones, and for providing small-holder farmers in Kenya
14 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 1: The Scope of Food Security in Asia with crop protection products for staple and high-value bioeconomies. As it stands now, governments are export crops. These approaches all exemplify ways that involved in areas such as the provision of subsidy through the private sector can contribute to food security through exemptions from or reductions in fuel excise taxes, direct engagement with small-holder farmers, and such efforts payments to producers, capital grants or cheap loans will be of paramount importance for the future of farming for infrastructure and the like. However, these subsidies and food markets. can have unintended effects that undermine the fiscal and environmental goals they are purported to support. Discussion Governments should commission economic analyses of the long-term economic viability and competitiveness Cambodia exemplifies countries that face a range of the biofuels industry in the absence of assistance and of development challenges. More specifically, the trade protection and create an environment for more country has to deal with food-related shortcomings in private-sector participation. combination with energy demand issues. It has a very limited range of alternative energy sources for meeting Another point relating to food production is that price its power demand, and is therefore heavily dependent volatilities will continue to affect both rural and urban on imported fossil fuels. While national priorities such stakeholders, but there are notable differences in the as energy security, economic development and the response capacities of these two groups. Generally environment are critical and pressing, the implications speaking, the response capacity of urban areas is lower of the resultant hydropower dams on the fishing sector than that of rural areas. This is because urban dwellers and food security are profound. There are two kinds of are dependent on a monetised economy and spend a dams currently under construction on the Mekong River: large share of their household budgets on food. The rural those that are built on the mainstream river and those that poor on the other hand may have greater access to food are built on the tributaries. Mainstream dams have greater through family relationships or the capacity to produce potential to adversely impact fisheries than those built on their own food. One of the ways to improve the response the tributaries. In all, there are about 12 mainstream dams capacity of urban areas to food price shocks is to grow that are either under construction or are on the verge of food, especially perishable high-value vegetables, in and being constructed in the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB). In around cities. light of this, LMB countries need to conduct participatory planning in decision-making, both before and after dam Organic inputs could potentially have a role in helping construction, so that local fishers, farmers and consumers farmers cultivate food in a cost-effective manner. that depend on the Mekong River are not marginalised. However, insecticides and pesticides that have a low environmental impact can also help farmers produce Cambodia’s case lends itself readily to wider questions food in a sustainable way. Given the limited arable lands about how to stimulate a bioeconomy. Forging a available to increase food production, there are strong bioeconomy will require the leadership of not only arguments to suggest that meeting growing food demands governments but also private firms to establish goals requires scaling up productivity on existing arable lands for the application of biotechnology in agriculture. through the use of better crop protection products and GM To achieve success in these endeavours, conducive plants. Doing so would require a thorough assessment of structural conditions must be put in place, including the the benefits and risks of innovative solutions. This is where formation of regional and international agreements and the interests of private companies, regulators and the mechanisms to ensure that policies can flexibly adapt public have to be congruent, because without innovation to new opportunities. Importantly, many cases call for there will be no solution to critical food security issues. negligible government interventions in order to stimulate
15 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 2: Availability – Promoting Sustainable Agricultural Production
Session 2: Availability – Promoting Sustainable Agricultural Production
The Need for a ‘Doubly Green Revolution’ to Increase the yield gap is closing, because of the development of Food Availability hybrids in the 1960s, but also because of the expansion of irrigated areas, increased nitrogen fertiliser rates, Over the last 50 years, the world has seen some dramatic integrated pest management practices, and recently, the changes in the realm of food security. Global population introduction of GM corn. increased by 111 per cent from 3 billion to over 6 billion. Crop production increased by 162 per cent from 1.8 Numerous peer-reviewed studies on the yield billion tons to 4.8 billion tons, land used for crops grew and economic impact of GM crops have shown from 960 million ha to 1,209 million ha, and yield per overwhelmingly positive results, particularly in developing ha rose from 1.84 tons to 3.96 tons. The first Green countries. However, as with all technologies, GM crops Revolution was based almost exclusively on improved have their risks. Herbicide-tolerant crops risk producing productivity though better seeds, a greater degree of herbicide-tolerant weeds and Bacillus thuringiensis mechanisation and more inputs such as pesticides and (Bt) crops may result in insect resistance to Bt crops. fertilisers. It was a success in many ways: it spared wild Appropriate management practices are therefore required lands, and decreased hunger and malnutrition. However, to protect useful technologies and the ecosystem. the Green Revolution has been criticised for not paying enough attention to the longer term sustainability and The next 50 years is likely to be the final period of rapid resilience of agriculture. It contributed to increased expansion in food production. Crop yield increases are levels of water use, chemical run-off, soil erosion and falling below projected demand and therefore, yields per greenhouse gas emissions. Poverty and hunger also unit of land must increase or the area under cultivation remain widespread. must expand. Food and ecological security are intractably linked together and stakeholders throughout Asia have Some of the projected changes to the food ecosystem no alternative but to prioritise both sectors. GM crops are challenging and result primarily from today’s can be part of the strategic solutions to address this but unsustainable overuse of resources such as land and it is still not clear how much it will contribute in the water. By 2050, pesticide use is expected to increase from regional context. These crops can increase yields (and today’s 3.75 million tons to 10.1 million tons, nitrogen thus incomes) and reduce inputs (thereby protecting fertiliser use from 87 million tons to 236 million tons, and water and soils). However, they also require new arable land from 1.54 million ha to 1.89 million ha. How regulatory regimes, political and social changes, and can future food demands be met without compromising much greater investment in agricultural R&D, specifically the environment? A ‘doubly Green Revolution’ will in conventional breeding and agronomy. have to include reduction in land degradation and unsustainable overuse of fertilisers, pesticides and water. Meeting the Needs for More Fish through Aquaculture This emphasis on environmental protection while feeding the future billions presents stiff challenges for both policy Fish is often neglected in food security discussions (which and science. The doubly Green Revolution will need tend to be dominated by crops and livestock) despite significant policy and social changes, new regulatory being considered ‘rich food for poor people’. It has played regimes circumscribing food production, and major an important role in addressing nutritional and livelihood scientific and technological advances to achieve and security in many developing countries. It provides 20 control potential impacts. per cent of the animal protein intake of some 2.6 billion people globally and at least 50 per cent of the animal Technological innovation is one way of producing more protein intake of over 400 million in Asia and Africa. from less. In most cereal crops, there is a large yield gap Fish provides roughly 13 per cent of the animal protein between potential and actual yield. For corn, however, intake in developed countries; in developing Asia, the intake is much higher, averaging at 30 per cent, with
16 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 2: Availability – Promoting Sustainable Agricultural Production some countries being notably reliant on fish, such as rural poor, issues that concern these small-scale farmers Bangladesh (51 per cent), Indonesia (58 per cent) and – such as access to resources (both natural and financial), Cambodia (75 per cent). a lack of skills, vulnerability, and aversion to risks – need to be addressed, and opportunities for enterprise In terms of its contribution to livelihood security, 540 development provided. million, or 8 per cent, of the global population is involved in fisheries and aquaculture. Eighty to a hundred per Overall, in order to exploit the contribution of aquaculture cent of rural aquaculture products are sold, generating to food security, urgent action is needed in the following cash income for low-income rural families. From an areas: R&D to improve fish stocks, including fish health economic perspective, fish is the most internationally management; the integration of small-scale aquaculture traded commodity. About 40 per cent of global into the globalised market economy; appropriate production enters the international market compared to institutional and regulatory frameworks and integration only 10 per cent for terrestrial based meat production. in development planning; compliance of small-holder Nearly 50 per cent of aquatic product exports come from farmers to food safety and product quality standards; and developing countries. improvements in policy and governance.
It has been estimated that an additional 20 to 30 million Enhancing Food Security through Urban and Peri-urban tons would be needed by 2020 to maintain the present Agriculture in China: Best Practices and Upscaling level of consumption. Because of increasing wealth and urbanisation in Asia, per capita consumption of fish is Farming is embedded in the Chinese culture. China expected to grow significantly. By 2030, two-thirds of currently feeds more than 20 per cent of the world’s the world’s middle class will be in the Asia-Pacific, with population by utilising less than 12 per cent of the world’s China and India driving this growth. Hence, much of farmland. Historically, food was considered heaven the estimated additional demand for fish is expected and was the basis of the economy of many dynasties. to be from Asian countries where fish is an important However, China’s recent rapid transformation from a component of daily diets and animal protein intake. rural to an urban population is challenging its ability to be self-reliant. Nearly half of its population now reside Of the 115 million tons of fish produced in 2009, 52 in cities. With this massive shift in migration and the per cent came from capture (wild) fisheries and the rest increasing affluence of its people, China is currently from aquaculture. Global fish production from capture facing a ‘soft food crisis’. A new concept of food security fisheries has stagnated in the last decade and it is probable has thus emerged, one that not only covers the sufficient that no major increase can be expected, as most of the availability of food but also the quality and safety of food, stocks have either been over-exploited or reached their its convenient accessibility and its steady affordability. maximum sustainable yields. The growing demand for Cases of poor food quality and unsafe foods have plagued fish must therefore be met from aquaculture, which saw China’s food system of late and food prices have soared; its share in global fish production increase to 55 million doubling within months for some specific products. tons in 2009 from less than 1 million tons in 1950. Eighty Middle-class households are feeling the pressure. per cent of this production comes from some 20 million small-holder farms, of which 18 million farms are in Asia, Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) is an effective allowing the region to contribute 91 per cent of global response as it is closely aligned with urban development aquaculture production. and could potentially become an organic part of the urban system. UPA stands out with its multi-functional With land and water becoming scarce, it would not characteristics reflected in high value-added production, be economically viable to sustain Asia’s low-output, social inclusion through helping vulnerable groups and extensive aquaculture systems. Since nearly 80 per cent its ecological contribution. It is also a good anchor for of aquaculture production comes from small-holder strengthening urban-rural linkages. operated farms and it is a source of livelihood for the
17 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 2: Availability – Promoting Sustainable Agricultural Production
China recognised the important role of UPA in improving Crop Traits to Increase Productivity by Increasing Yield food security and has made it a priority. UPA in China and Decreasing Losses has focused on areas such as the development of seeds, agricultural exports, technology, food processing, agro- Asia is food insecure today. The effects of the Green tourism, logistics, recycling and agro-parks. Although Revolution are winding down. Rice and wheat yield gains the objectives behind the promotion of UPA in cities are in decline. Only corn yield gains are holding steady in China are largely the same, each city has its own due to more recent technological innovations. Public innovative approaches and practices. Examples include sector investment in R&D is down. Many of the food the following: security policies in Asia focus mainly on producing more rice, and while this goal is laudable it is also insufficient. Beijing 2-2-1 Action Programme on Urban Agriculture: Although rice demand will increase by 28 per cent, other This comprehensive programme was initiated by the cereals will play a greater role in the Asian diet. Wheat Beijing municipal government in April 2004 with the demand will increase by 40 per cent, soybean by 125 objective of creating a multi-functional recreational per cent and corn by 86 per cent between now and the agriculture area in the peri-urban zones of Beijing. mid-21st century. Specifically, the programme aims to maximise resource and market utilisation, mobilise the supportive inputs How will the world satisfy Asia’s increasing appetite? of capital and technology, and facilitate information The answer lies in increasing productivity and reducing platforms for sharing agro-technologies and experiences. post-harvest losses. While both are key to improving food availability, the focus of this presentation is on the Shanghai Sunqiao Modern Agricultural Development former. Currently, technologies to increase productivity Zone: Built in 1994, the Shanghai Sunqiao Modern do indeed exist. They include improvements in breeding, Agricultural Development Zone aims to speed up better agronomic practices such as irrigation and pest the integration of the city with villages through protection as well as biotechnologies. agricultural industrialisation. The first generation of GM traits looked at the three Chengdu Agro-tourism: This initiative promotes rural platforms of insect protection, herbicide tolerance and agro-tourism, which is also called leisure agriculture and virus resistance. These early GM crops, which are now sightseeing agriculture. Chengdu is one of the pioneering almost 15 years old, have led to reduced losses from cities in China in the development of agro-tourism. Tourists biotic stresses, and higher farm productivity. For example, from urban areas in Chengdu go to a farmer’s house and the introduction of GM soybean and GM corn has led to stay over the weekend, eating country food and enjoying an increase in production of 9.7 million tons and 29.4 the rural setting. It has also significantly increased local million tons respectively. This increase in production rural households’ annual income, thereby improving the not only provided farmers with higher incomes but has overall quality of Chengdu’s rural environment. also spared additional land from being used to plant these crops. It is estimated that without these yield gains, While UPA plays many roles, its core function remains growing an adequate amount of soybean and corn would increasing food production through the effective use of have required an additional 3.8 million ha and 5.6 million resources and the application of innovative technologies. ha of land respectively. As demonstrated in many large cities in China, UPA can help improve food security in urban areas. For example, While the first generation of GM crops was relatively UPA provides more than 40 per cent of vegetables to straightforward to develop, those that are currently under Beijing and 60 per cent to Shanghai. Although certain development address more complex problems such as features of China’s farming system may be unique to the moisture, fertility, salinity and temperature, and as such country, UPA holds great potential for many developing require more sophisticated technologies. Significant countries, particularly in Asia. research is currently underway, in the private as well
18 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 2: Availability – Promoting Sustainable Agricultural Production as public sector, to address these new challenges. For technology. Subsequent technologies such as RNA example, Monsanto has developed drought-tolerant interference (RNAi) technology in addition to dual Bt maize by introducing a gene that confers tolerance to proteins will provide more long-term durability. Insect- environments with highly variable moisture content. resistance management plans must also be part of any Another Monsanto product is a nutritionally enhanced deployment strategy. soybean with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids (which can improve heart health). These soybeans contain 20 Additional concerns exist over the relevance of GM crops per cent more omega-3 fatty acids than traditional crops, to small-holder farmers and whether the private sector and could thus be an alternative to fish as a source of consistently considers their interests. The socioeconomic omega-3 fatty acids. impacts of the adoption of Bt corn by small-holder farmers in the Philippines have been well-documented; the most Despite the existence of such technologies and the important benefit has been to increase farmers’ incomes convincing evidence of their benefits, the adoption of which has in turn resulted in increased investments at GM crops in Asian countries remains low due to several the village level. reasons. First, public funding for agricultural R&D in the region has declined over the last three decades, allowing There is growing concern over the fact that Asia’s youth the private sector to dominate agricultural investments in are largely less interested in agriculture and are migrating R&D. Second, there is a lack of science-based regulations to cities in search of alternative sources of livelihood. It is to oversee the use of these crops. Only one country thus imperative for governments to communicate to the in ASEAN has an operational regulatory system for youth what is at stake and how agriculture, including the the cultivation of GM crops. Thus, farmers across the aquaculture sector, can be an attractive and profitable region are unable to legally access these high-yielding venture. A ‘new agriculture’ which brings together seeds. Third, there is the lack of intellectual property multiple disciplines such as economics, agronomy, (IP) protection and enforcement which are necessary for land use efficiency, and energy must be responsible for investments and innovation. Fourth, there is insufficient attracting the next generation of agricultural thinkers. investment in rural infrastructure including market access and extension services. Lastly, the lack of a science- What China has shown with some of its urban farming led public discussion about these new technologies has projects is that most crops, even rice, can be grown within also significantly impacted their widespread adoption cities with the use of simple and smart technologies. in the region. Nevertheless, urban farming has tended to focus on high- value vegetables as these have proven to be profitable. Discussion China has demonstrated that UPA can play multiple roles in addressing the food security problems of cities. Many outstanding issues remain that relate to food availability. Important among these is the relation of Finally, net food importing countries such as Singapore GM crop adoption to environmental and social risks, can play a significant role in addressing regional food the declining interest of new generations in agriculture, security. First, wealthier countries need to acknowledge the actual practicality of urban farming and how net that they are paying too little for their food. Second, they food importing countries such as Singapore can address need to support R&D in other food producing countries food security. and increase their investments. They need to be part of the solution and not only reap the benefits of other countries’ On the topic of risks associated with GM crops, the investments in agricultural productivity. Third, importing potential breakdown of resistance linked to using single countries such as Singapore can be an experimental hub Bt gene technology represents a significant area of and testing ground for many types of farming innovations concern. To address this, Monsanto has worked with and technologies. universities and government agencies to improve the
19 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 3: Access – Understanding Markets and Supply Chains
Session 3: Access – Understanding Markets and Supply Chains
Economic and Agricultural Policies and Their Impact on Economic and agricultural policymakers must take Access to Food by Vulnerable Sectors of Society into consideration the effects of their policies on the marginalised segments of the population, particularly The transition period in which developing countries move rural populations. They also need to pay attention to from lower- to middle-income status and simultaneously the need for small-holder access to financial and achieve growth in agricultural markets is marked by technological resources. In order to be effective, policies several factors that impact access to food. There is a shift need to focus on sustaining productivity growth (this in the demographics of the poor; small-holder farmers would including increasing R&D), supporting market- and rural populations face adaptation challenges; and oriented diversification (while addressing the associated development dynamics change as donors withdraw, with risks to farmers), linking small-holders to markets, micro-lending rates hardening, and the private sector promoting the private sector (tapping new markets, becoming more active. strengthening value chains, encouraging investment in social and human capital, and providing incentives to Vietnam is a case in point, with the transition seeing lower the entry barrier), linking non-farm activities to a growing number of its people moving in and out of the rural economy, and addressing risk and vulnerability. poverty (the transient poor, as differentiated from the chronic poor). The economic conditions that determine In order for food security objectives to be reached, there the position of the transient poor fluctuate at high speeds needs to be a paradigm shift whereby governments create and exacerbate their vulnerability. Thus, policies aimed at an environment that enables and fosters economic growth poverty reduction and rural development have to address to the benefit of large- and small-scale farmers alike. This the specific, and different, needs of the transient poor as requires political will, adequate financial resources, a well as the chronic poor. focus on effective policy priorities, as well as effective coordination among governments, development partners, An emerging challenge for development and investment investors and other stakeholders. partners is to help move the transient group permanently out of subsistence agriculture and into the marketplace. Asian Food Security, the Global Grain Trade and the Role The emphasis must go beyond augmenting incomes, of Agribusiness Firms in Managing the Supply Chains to fostering risk mitigation and coping strategies, and governments must gradually shift from subsidies and safety Opportunities for the agricultural sector in Asia are nets to market development strategies. In formulating flourishing as regional population growth drives policies to assist the chronic poor, governments must take increased demand for food, and income growth leads into consideration the over-representation of indigenous to diversification in food preferences (particularly a and ethnic minorities in this group. shift in demand from rice to flour, and an increase in meat consumption). As the supply chain transforms The development of agricultural markets has created and modernises, however, there is great risk of small- challenges and opportunities for small-holders. Farm holder farmers being excluded. Addressing such possible households are adapting with two main strategies, and exclusion is a key challenge for policymakers. Further these must be understood by policy- and development- factors that must be taken into account by policymakers oriented actors. First, male members are increasingly in addressing the region’s urban and rural food security migrating to work in urban growth poles while females are supply and demand dynamics, trends in trade flows, continue to work on the farm. Second, farmers are the competency of agribusinesses and the strength of increasingly implementing market-oriented diversification supply chains. of production. Development partners have also adapted to changing conditions by implementing revised poverty Regional trade trends indicate that Asia faces widening reduction strategies such as market linkages and group deficits in the supply of wheat, corn and soybean, not formation for small-holder farmers. only for human consumption but for animal feed. In
20 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 3: Access – Understanding Markets and Supply Chains particular, import dependency is high for soybean in Food Industry Transformation and Food Security in Asia East Asia. Demand is very high for wheat, soybean and soybean meal in Southeast Asia, and remains high for The biggest competition in Asia’s food economy over soybean meal in South Asia. Asia’s import dependency the next 10 to 20 years will come from within. Internal on North and South America is high on multiple counts. food trade will lead to integrated markets and regional More than half of US grain and oilseed exports are multinational wholesalers. The rapid transformation of destined for Asia. The region is also highly dependent the food industry in Asia is marked by multiple sectors on Australia for wheat. evolving and growing as a cluster. In order to adequately address food security concerns in this evolutionary Trade between the Americas and the Pacific has grown on environment, discourses must reflect the realities of the par or even faster relative to global trade, and will only Asian food economy. For example, discussions about increase as populations and the environment demand it. food should not focus narrowly on grain and rice, given Unfettered trade is key to regional food security, and is that these staples comprise only 25 per cent of all food particularly important for urban areas and net importing consumed. Additionally, given that the vast majority of the countries. Export curbs in staples such as rice and wheat Asian food economy is domestic, debate on food security must not be condoned as they exacerbate shortages. should not be skewed towards trade. Furthermore, talk on food security should go beyond the current tendency Strategically, the responsibility for creating efficient to focus on rural food security. It should be recognised linkages from farms to markets lies with private that between 50 and 70 per cent of the Asian food market enterprises. In particular, the agribusiness sector must is urban. manage risks at all stages of the supply chain – from farming, origination, primary processing and logistics; Policies and food security strategies also need to more to secondary processing, marketing, distribution and proportionally address off-farm sections of the food customer delivery. Agribusiness needs to invest in sector, including processing, wholesale, logistics and sophisticated logistics, ensure food safety and traceability, retail, given that 50 to 70 per cent of food prices are fund R&D and share information. It can be observed formed post-farm gate. Governments need to be proactive that the sector is playing an increasingly important role in engaging the private sector, through reducing barriers in these areas. to investment, improving food safety laws, introducing effective zoning, promoting wholesale segments of At the regional level, reliable supply chains need to be the market, encouraging agribusiness investments and developed in order to deliver trusted, quality products enabling small-holder farmers (who would be extremely at lower costs. Supply chains must also be secured, vulnerable to the effects of the transformation of the which would mean improving ports and storage in Asian food industry). destination locations, making the agriculture sector in rural areas more resilient to climate change, ensuring Asia is undergoing a modernisation of food supply the safety of sea lanes, prioritising the bio-security of chains and a supermarket revolution more rapid than food supplies, fostering a liberal investment climate, ever before experienced by any region. Supermarkets eliminating non-tariff barriers to trade, and establishing are penetrating food markets utilised by the poor and emergency food reserves. are reaching towns and villages across the region, and the decline of traditional markets in Asia is happening The price spikes in 2008 and 2010–2011 offer lessons faster than in any location throughout history. In order for urban and rural food security, including the need for to gain market share, supermarkets have reduced their an early warning system for production and outcomes, dealings with small- to medium-sized enterprises – and sufficient inventories, the prevention of export curbs (on thus small-holder farmers – with the aim of passing on which the WTO must act with resolve), and transparency savings to consumers in the form of lower prices. and cooperation among ASEAN members.
21 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 3: Access – Understanding Markets and Supply Chains
Rapid transformations are occurring all along the supply Co-movement between the CRB food index, the Brent chain. In the midstream section, rapid technological oil price and the S&P 500 index has increased in recent developments are increasing the efficiency of the years, particularly since the global financial crisis and processing sector. In wholesale, there have been major food price crisis in 2008. However, it must be understood transformations in the last 20 years, with wholesalers that this is a correlation and does not immediately becoming agricultural providers, operating a cluster suggest a causal relationship. There is evidence that food of agricultural services. As traditional supply chains commodities are increasingly behaving like financial shorten, there is evidence that the village trader or assets and respond to similar drivers in similar ways. broker role is diminishing as larger companies increase This increased financialisation could well be explained their direct involvement with farmers. In logistics, by a burgeoning increase in index funds investing in traders are increasingly investing in facilities and trucks, food commodities. It has been noted that food popular although this is occurring at vastly different rates across to indices (for example, wheat, corn and soy) are more the region. As specialised wholesale actors dedicated financialised than ‘illiquid’ food such as rough rice and to supermarkets rise in scope in some areas of Asia, pork belly. investment in private logistics is increasing. Moreover, the industry is witnessing the multinationalisation and In 2007–2008, however, even though the financialisation regional integration of logistics. of food commodities had become significant, the food price crisis was caused by the least financialised products. The upstream components of the supply chain – sourcing A process of panic, hoarding and contagion similar to a and procurement – face reorganisation, standardisation, financial crisis was witnessed. disintermediation and reintermediation. For example, it is predicted that in the coming decades almost all rice There is a perception that inflation caused by food prices will be sourced directly from large mills, not the spot is a phenomenon caused by temporary supply shock, but market. The transformation of the supply chain is naturally it should be considered that macroeconomic factors such causing greater challenges for both farmers and small- to as demand, inflation expectation and monetary policy medium-sized suppliers, while consumers are clearly responses have a strong ‘second round’ impact. benefiting from the supermarket revolution in terms of improved economic and physical access to food. One popular explanation for food price volatility is the strength and weakness of the US dollar, but given that These dynamic changes in Asian food systems are creating the dollar is trade-weighted, a weakening dollar cannot both challenges and opportunities. Asian countries fully account for this volatility. Economic policy actions, must recognise the shifting environment – which at such as the second round of quantitative easing by the present sees the private sector moving too fast for many US government in 2010 (QE2), appear to have a more governments to keep up – and create policies that can direct impact on the S&P 500. maximise advantages and minimise the marginalisation of vulnerable groups. From a macroeconomic perspective, then, the financialisation of food commodities is not the main The Financialisation of Food Commodities – Not the culprit of food price crises. Therefore, limiting investment Cause, Not the Cure by commodity index funds and access to derivative trading is unlikely to prevent the next crisis. There is some speculation that financialisation of food commodities was a primary cause of the 2007–2008 The experience of numerous financial crises over the food price crisis. However, a macroeconomic analysis of past 20 years has led to the development of mechanisms other factors, including food price inflation, correlations designed to avoid such crises. There is a need to respond to between various indices, the impact of currency on food the recent food price crises in the same way, to learn from price volatility, and lessons learned from financial crises, suggests a more nuanced explanation.
22 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 3: Access – Understanding Markets and Supply Chains them and develop appropriate mechanisms. A regional from the private sector. On the other hand, government risk-sharing mechanism to prevent panic hoarding and subsidies are often directed towards farmers. There is price spirals should be considered. This mechanism would therefore a missed opportunity to provide financing to have to involve exporting and importing countries. It midstream enterprises to enable them to leverage on should start small, reflect political realities, aim to prevent opportunities, the benefits of which will then flow to panic-led crises (rather than stabilise regular volatility), be small-holder farmers. In a policy similar to one previously easily accessible in order to address emergencies, have implemented by Brazil, China is addressing this issue clear modalities, minimise moral hazard and be subject with the issuance of subsidies to wholesalers and to regular peer review and monitoring. logistics enterprises on the condition that they link to small-holder farmers. Discussion Proactive governments that work with, and build upon, The gains from increased competition and efficiency existing market flows are the most effective at prolonging in the food industry are resulting in improved physical small-holder engagement as food economies develop. and economic access to food for many in Asia. The China has developed several effective approaches. This transformation and consolidation of the Asian food includes the implementation of food safety laws moderated industry is, however, leading to daunting challenges for for maximum participation. It has also supported the small-holder farmers. This issue must be addressed by shift from wet markets to supermarkets through out- focusing on the inclusion of small-holder farmers in the zoning, fostering developments in the wholesale sector transformation of Asia’s food economy, but questions and promoting agribusiness investments. Some other abound as to how this may best be accomplished. The governments in Asia have less effective approaches need to build the capacity of farmers while achieving characterised by a denial of market realities, lack of economies of scale was discussed. The financing of investment in infrastructure, and bureaucratic restrictions the midstream segment of the supply chain and the which do not encourage private sector engagement nor flow-on effects to small-holders was also a concern, allow for effective private-public partnerships. as was effective governance. The impact of possible future economic recessions on food prices must also In terms of a possible economic recession in the near be considered. future and its impact on food prices, it is likely that a lowering of demand will be a factor in driving food Projects that link small-holders with markets and build prices down. However, even if global demand remains their capacity to do so are a priority for development depressed, it is possible that futures may increase and stakeholders. Issues of economies of scale must be taken that food prices will remain elevated. Prices will also into account when taking such actions, however, as be impacted should a third period of quantitative easing clusters, rural development programmes and organised (QE3) take place in the US. cooperatives are prone to failure. The achievement of economies of scale at the level of agricultural services In conclusion, it is evident that transformations in the (such as harvesting and rice transplanting) in the face of food industry are likely to lead to greater economic and fragmentation at the farm level and the increased use of physical access to food for consumers in the form of cold stores are two examples of successful models for lower prices and increased availability, but that small- capacity building. holder farmers will be made vulnerable by these same transformations. Opportunities for small-holder farmers Small- to medium-sized enterprises midstream in the to adapt and overcome these challenges exist, but supply chain are having difficulty sourcing funding investments and policies must be directed adequately and properly.
23 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 4: Utilisation – Ensuring Health and Nutrition
Session 4: Utilisation – Ensuring Health and Nutrition
Identifying Food Insecure Populations and Response whether monitoring and surveillance are needed, and Action to Ensure Food Security whether food insecurity is acute or chronic.
The number of undernourished people in the world The WFP conducts different types of field assessments, underwent a major spike between 2008 and 2009, rising including emergency food security assessments, to over 1 billion before dipping to 925 million in 2010. comprehensive food security and vulnerability analyses, The largest proportion of the globe’s undernourished – an and crop and food-supply assessment missions to help estimated 578 million – reside in Asia and the Pacific. gauge the specific needs of each beneficiary region. According to the World Hunger Map 2010 produced Among the indicators used are the Food Consumption by the FAO, the intensity of undernourishment in the Score, the Coping Strategy Index, calculations of Asia-Pacific is not as pronounced as that of sub-Saharan household expenditure on food, and a household or Africa, but incidences of undernourishment are more community asset score. The WFP also monitors world widespread across the region. food price changes and their impact on the food-basket costs in individual countries on a quarterly basis. The World Food Programme (WFP) is tasked with identifying populations vulnerable to food insecurity at WFP food distribution programmes are essentially short- a global level. However, a major challenge to identifying term interventions, and usually take place following these populations is the difficulty in establishing a a catastrophe. After assessing the needs and coping baseline for measurement of food insecurity. capabilities of the population being served, the WFP may cease distribution and implement vulnerable- To overcome this, the WFP collates and analyses a group feeding, which is targeted towards the elderly, the range of different data gleaned from national statistics disabled, and those living with HIV/AIDS. organisations and other agencies. From this information, the WFP produces a food security atlas offering country The WFP also carries out food assistance programmes. analyses with indicators relevant to not only food security These include food for work or assets, cash transfers, but also development, poverty and other vulnerabilities. food for education, school feeding programmes and This multifaceted approach allows for more effective supplementary nutritional feeding for vulnerable mapping of where specific problems exist and their women and children. It also supports food technology intensity, and can lead to the allocation of more targeted, development and capacity building, and provides appropriate interventions. opportunities for low-income farmers to supply food to WFP operations regionally and locally. Through this exercise, the WFP discovered numerous fundamental differences among countries. The regional The Role of Biofortification in Improving Nutrition distribution and intensity of problems such as poverty, Security undernourishment, underweight children, and populations lacking access to clean water provide indicators to the There are four intervention methods to meet food security WFP of the possible food security challenges in each challenges faced by vulnerable populations worldwide: area and how to best address them. In some countries, supplementation, food fortification, diet diversification, the atlas exercise was performed not only at the national and biofortification. Biofortification is arguably level but also for specialised areas of interest, such as complementary to the others, but all are essential in urban centres. WFP intervention methods are, therefore, achieving better dietary quality and nutritional status for dependent on the specific problem experienced by the the vulnerable. region in question. Essential considerations include whether interventions need to be long- or short-term,
24 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 4: Utilisation – Ensuring Health and Nutrition
Globally, micronutrient deficiency is currently estimated There has also been progress on the nutrition side to affect 3 billion people. Iron, vitamin A and zinc of biofortification. Nutrient retention rates from the deficiencies are prevalent, and are predominant among consumption of biofortified crops are high, and high those without access to a diverse diet. Many are likely to per capita intake levels of such crops have also been suffer from deficiency in multiple micronutrients. recorded. The bioavailability, or proportion of the added nutrients capable of being absorbed and available for Supplementation is a short-term strategy used to combat use or storage, of crops also appears promising. Iron’s micronutrient deficiency, but this type of intervention bioavailability ranges from 5 to 10 per cent, zinc’s is has limitations. Micronutrient supplements need to be assumed to be 25 per cent, and the bioavailability of administered frequently and regularly. While the cost provitamin A is two to three times higher than anticipated. of each dose is small, it is expensive to implement a supplementation programme across a large population. Bioefficacy trials and studies are underway to test whether Also, short-term supplementation does not improve long-term consistent consumption of a biofortified crop deficiencies in the long term. Once supplementation leads to a change in the nutritional status of the beneficiary ends, the deficiencies recur – because the population had population, moving them from deficiency to sufficiency. not made fundamental changes in their dietary habits. Effectiveness studies have also been undertaken to In this context, it is essential to take a long-term food- assess long-term improvements in micronutrient levels based approach to nutrition security with biofortification across receiving communities, and the ability of farmers, incorporated into the framework. Existing examples of markets and consumers to access biofortified seeds, biofortification of food items include the addition of crops and products. iodine to salt. In order to encourage the long-term sustainability of Arguably, the effectiveness of such interventions is assured a biofortified crop, it is essential to establish stronger if the fortified products reach the people. However, there links between the food retail sector and food producers, remains a gap between those who are served by such while promoting the health characteristics of the crop. interventions and those who often are not; including It was also suggested that a nutritionally improved crop sustenance farmers or those who source their food could be popularised to consumers by diversifying food locally. Among such groups, dietary preferences tend to preparation and products. Companies may be able be more rigid, and limited by factors including access to ensure access by integrating familiar products into and purchasing power. existing markets and consumer preferences. This requires no change in the dietary habits of the consumer, but will It is argued that biofortification could play a more have a profound impact on their nutritional status. significant role in overcoming these obstacles because it aims to breed crops with higher nutritional content There remain challenges to biofortification. Target groups without sacrificing yield or entailing behavioural changes for biofortified crops and its resultant products are almost on the part of the consumer, thereby simultaneously always poor and lacking in physical and economic access improving food and nutrition security. There has been to such foods. There remains an urgent need to develop significant progress in breeding biofortified crops. There programmes to deliver such products to these groups. is limited need for GM in order to produce them as The international food security agenda also appears genetic variation is sufficient for conventional breeding preoccupied with increasing crop yield. Arguably, a shift purposes. There appears to be no trade-off between yield towards a focus on both yields and nutritional value is and the nutrient content of the crop seed. Also, low-cost needed in order to sustainably and holistically overcome and highly precise methods of screening promising new the current food security challenges. lines for breeding and cultivation have been discovered in recent years.
25 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 4: Utilisation – Ensuring Health and Nutrition
Ensuring Food Safety for Food Security The major challenges to meeting food safety at the international level were identified. They include variable Food safety contributes to the improved nutrition and climatic conditions and global financial crises. The rise health status of a population; reduces public health costs; in food insecurity, the upholding of food safety as an reduces food losses; increases availability, stability and integral part of the food security agenda, and changing utilisation of food along the food chain; and increases dietary patterns were cited. Scientific progress would national and international market access. Today’s major also be vital. food safety concerns include residues, contaminants, pathogens, zoonotic diseases, GM issues, organic Meanwhile, a multitude of complex national-level pollutants, allergens and labelling issues. challenges are becoming more pressing. Examples include the difficulty of keeping pace with changes in At the international level, the WTO agreements on international and importing countries’ regulations, and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and Technical questions of clarity and coordination between different Barriers to Trade (TBT) exist to address the public health, organisations with overlapping roles. There is a need to safety and environmental concerns that arise from food focus on issues such as promoting increased participation safety at the global market level. These agreements set in international standard-setting, establishing disease out the basic rights and obligations of countries with surveillance for food-borne hazards, and encouraging regard to food safety standards. They also coordinate the HACCP and dealing with the increased reliance on the harmonisation of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, certification of the exporting country. the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), and The Links between Food Security Research, Policy and outline safety equivalence standards and requirements. Programmes, and Nutrition Security: The Thai Experience
In order to further ensure food safety, it was suggested that Nutrition security is an integral branch of food security. It a food chain approach to meeting safety requirements is focused on the individual and takes into consideration should be encouraged. This would entail a shift from his food consumption behaviours and access. Nutritional end-product inspection and testing, to building safety and status is measured with specific indicators including body quality throughout the food chain, taking a preventative mass index (BMI), weight-for-age, height-for-age and rather than reactive approach to risks, and placing weight-to-height ratios. responsibility for food safety in the hands of all actors along the chain (farmer, processor, handler, government Thailand provides a strong example as to how indicators actor and consumer). Such strategies would also entail along these different measurement criteria can improve as better regulation of good manufacturing practices (GMP), a result of new policy measures. Importantly, Thailand’s good hygiene practices (GHP), hazard analysis and critical nutrition security improvements were not solely control point (HACCP), and import-export inspection contingent upon conventional nutritional intervention and certification. However, three major concerns with programmes which consist of education, surveillance meeting such requirements remain: implementation and supplementation efforts, but occurred as a result limitations in developing countries or those susceptible of multiple inputs and interventions that were strongly to food insecurity, diversity of food safety standards, and influenced by research and policy developments. the use of such requirements as trade barriers.
26 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 4: Utilisation – Ensuring Health and Nutrition
Thailand has employed 10 plans across a period of 48 priorities, development issues, Thailand’s changing years, spanning different targeted interventions and demographic landscape, in particular the mass migration complementary research efforts to address the specific of working-age people to urban centres, a growing ageing nutrition security challenges of each time period. population and an increase in the number of elderly people working, acute food demand in certain regions Thailand began fortifying salt with iodine in the 1960s post-natural disaster, the growing double burden of to 1970s following concerns of nutrient deficiencies. under- and overnutrition, and a rise in incidences of The positive results spurred the government to invest in chronic disease. national-level research on nutritional epidemiology and how to better integrate nutritional improvement into rural The future of food security programmes, policies and community development throughout the 1970s. National- research in Thailand would likely be focused on cultivating level research on key nutritional deficiencies was then economic sufficiency, equity and social resilience paired with rural development programmes alongside a through encouraging agricultural development as a main policy focus on reducing the rate of underweight children, source of income and food security. Technology- and as well as the rate of stunting and wasting between 1982 knowledge-based growth, a community based approach and 1991. The combination of nutritional intervention to development, and food safety would also be priorities programmes, nationwide school feeding programmes and for the coming years. cooperation with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on iodine deficiency issues successfully reduced the national Discussion rate of underweight children from 50.8 per cent in 1982 to 17.1 per cent in 1991. On the role of international organisations in food and nutrition security, it was observed that the WFP Food Thailand’s two nutrition security programmes over Consumption Score is accepted as a primary indicator the last decade have been focused on examining the for assessing food insecurity at the household level while implications of the national food safety policy for food taking into consideration country-specific thresholds, industry standards, harnessing local technologies for safe local adaptations, levels of development and access, and food production, and dealing with persistent issues of dietary differences between and within countries. It was simultaneously occurring over- and undernutrition issues. noted that efforts are still underway to calibrate the score Parallel to these programmes, the plans also run research to each nation’s specific dietary patterns and consumption on the promotion of agriculture based on economic habits so as to generate a more comprehensive picture sufficiency principles and studies on how the global and of dietary diversity. national market influence the public’s food consumption behaviours and food choices. In the context of food and nutrition security after the end of the short-term WFP food assistance, it was asked The initial obstacles to implementing these plans included if there were studies that surveyed the impact of such convincing policymakers of the importance of nutrition interventions on the consumption habits of populations. security. That involved going beyond definitions of food There was also a question on the effect of the interventions security that place importance almost exclusively on on regional food security when a population becomes staple food crop production. Presently, various challenges, dependent on a supplementary crop, leaving local constraints and threats to the future of such nutritionally markets unable to meet the demand. focused plans remain. These include evolving political
27 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 4: Utilisation – Ensuring Health and Nutrition
In response, it was clarified that the WFP does not On biofortification, the WFP respects governments’ wishes attempt to alter a population’s dietary habits. If there as to crop types used in food assistance. However, the are ways in which local populations can meet their own WFP’s main criterion for crop choice, whether biofortified dietary requirements, the WFP tries not to alter this by through GM or conventionally, prioritises the use of donor introducing a new aid crop. In an emergency, however, funds in the most efficient and appropriate manner so as the WFP will have to choose a crop based on market to optimise the kilocalories and nutritional value provided circumstances and available funding. Household access to beneficiary populations. It was also noted that in order to sufficient food after food assistance, meanwhile, was to ensure consumer uptake of biofortified products in highlighted as an area that will be subject to assessment the market, there needed to be proactive engagement by the WFP and individual governments. The WFP would with multiple actors – with farmers so as to ensure crop either continue assistance or help a government transition productivity, with consumers so as to promote the health into its own programmes. benefits of consumption, and with policymakers and governments so as to convince them of the importance Responding to questions on the relationship between the of nutrition security, not only food security and yield. ‘most favoured nation’ (MFN) status and food safety at the international level, it was explained that MFN is a status On food and nutrition policy, standards and research, it accorded by one state to another in international trade. was affirmed that research findings from non-nationally A country that has been accorded MFN status may not funded sources such as the private sector and academia be treated less advantageously than any other country play important functions in shaping government policies. with MFN status by the promising country. In practical Many research results and data are applicable cross- terms, this means that a country cannot apply differing sectorally, and in order to optimise their potential, findings standards in food safety to the same product imported needed to be fed into the appropriate coordinating and from different source countries. This concept is only implementing bodies so as to impact policymaking malleable within the context of regional harmonisation processes. It was agreed that research findings needed to of food safety standards. be publicly available so as to maintain public engagement and awareness on food and nutrition issues. It was also noted that FAO-World Health Organization (WHO) joint food safety programmes must be The bureaucratisation of international food regulations acknowledged for their role in providing for transparency and the best methods to adjust food and nutrition in risk- and science-based approaches. It was further standards and policies according to accurate assessments highlighted that progress in transparency has been of risk were raised. In response, it was explained that positive, with the FAO publishing various tools alongside international regulations and standards are often aligned the implementation of several projects including capacity with international agencies and are aimed at protecting building and the establishment of good agricultural consumers. It was, however, acknowledged that it was practices. Additionally, more comprehensive tools are important to note the variations in the regulations of being developed based on the outcomes of these projects. different countries and regions. It was suggested that to bridge these gaps, avenues for working within the system must be capitalised upon. A final recommendation was to push for progress towards harmonising public and private sector standards at the WTO level.
28 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 5: Appropriate Investments to Match Urban Food Security Needs with Areas of Surplus
Session 5: Appropriate Investments to Match Urban Food Security Needs with Areas of Surplus
The Doha Round Negotiations on Agriculture Trade The market access discussions rest upon the management Rules and Their Potential Impact on Food Security of tariffs. The Uruguay Round left the legacy of a range of tariffs. Doha seeks to ‘harmonise’ international tariffs Trade plays an important role in enhancing Asian food to make them more uniform and ultimately reduce their security, as even the region’s most self-reliant food role in the food sector and elsewhere. This goal has led producing countries still depend on food imports to to a ‘tiered reduction formula’ that calls for higher tariffs meet their domestic demands. For countries facing land to be cut more severely than lower ones, to the end and/or resource constraints, the international food trade that future trade rounds can reduce tariffs from a more constitutes a fundamental element in ensuring food access uniform starting point. While unresolved issues remain, for their citizenries. As such, trade policies that inhibit the such as those relating to tariff ceilings and tariffs for so- free flow of goods should be reassessed, minimised, and called ‘sensitive products’, the objective of lessening the in some cases, heavily curtailed. Such ideas provide the gaps in tariff levels will continue to loom large in the impetus for international trade deliberations generally, Doha Round. and for the ongoing negotiations on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) specifically. While Domestic support measures represent a second pathway the direction of international trade negotiations remains by which countries often pursue economic strategies that uncertain, it is clear that future trade regimes will have can limit the free trade of food. Doha classifies domestic significant implications for Asia’s regional food systems. support measures into three strata, which it labels amber, blue and green. Amber measures are seen to be trade The 8th round of GATT negotiations (the Uruguay Round) distorting, and notably include agricultural subsidies was held from 1986 to 1994, and the agreements were that encourage over-supply. These measures are targeted implemented from 1995 to 2004. These were the first for reduction under the Doha Round negotiations. Blue GATT negotiations to include agriculture, which was subsidies are similar to amber, with the exception that previously excluded because of its contentiousness. They farmers cannot expand subsidised crops onto new lands also led to the creation of the successor to the GATT, in order to receive additional subsidies. Blue subsidies the WTO. are thus seen as being less trade distorting than amber ones. The most benign subsidies, from a liberal trade The Doha Development Agenda (the Doha Round) perspective, are labelled green and include non-trade succeeded the Uruguay negotiations in late 2002 and distorting practices such as infrastructure investment. has highlighted development agendas to a greater Categorising green subsidies often proves difficult. extent than any previous major international trade meetings. Agricultural issues loom large in the still- Food security issues at the centre of the Doha negotiations to-be-concluded Doha Round, and have significantly are technically complex and politically contentious, and contributed to the negotiators’ inability to reach prospects for consensus at the November 2011 meetings consensus. Agricultural points of contention fit readily are slim. Despite continuing impasse, however, trade into the larger Doha discourses on development, liberalisation continues at the bilateral and regional protectionism and the liberalisation of markets. These levels, including in ASEAN where tariffs are relatively low. issues can be usefully categorised within the two main pillars of the Doha Round, namely, market access and domestic support measures.
29 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances 30 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Building Urban-Rural 2011 21st in the Asia Century: Security -Feeding Food Asian on Conference International 31
Participants of ICAFS 2011
Seated (from left to right): Fr Francis Lucas, Dr Franz Fischler, Assoc. Prof. Mely Caballero-Anthony, Dr Fan Shenggen, Amb. Barry Desker, Dr Mohamad Maliki bin Osman, Prof. Paul Teng, Dr Gil Saguiguit, Jr, Col (NS) Loh Kean Wah, Assoc. Prof. Ralf Emmers.
Back row (from left to right): Dr Margarita Escaler, Dr Annie S. Wesley, Dr Lourdes S. Adriano, Ms Atsuko Toda, Asst Prof. Jintana Yhoung-aree, Dr Vijay Gupta Modadugu, Dr Keith Dawson, Dr Rolando Dy, Mr Geoffry Smith, Dr Mercedita Sombilla, Prof. Cai Jianming, Ms Shashi Sareen, Dr T.J. Higgins, Dr Tan Siang Hee, Prof. Rudy Rabbinge, Mr Michael Sheinkman, Dr Kashyap Choksi, Dr Jose Geraldo Eugenio de Franca, Dr Santitarn Sathirathai, Mr Lee Kwong Weng, Dr Randy Hautea, Dr So Nam. Session 5: Appropriate Investments to Match Urban Food Security Needs with Areas of Surplus
The task at hand for Asian countries is to re-evaluate their This was a disastrous situation for food importing states, own regulative and at times protectionist trade regimes and amplified their desire to bypass conventional food so that they will be well-placed to take advantage of the markets and gain security through controlling land. more liberalised trade system that will likely emerge from Doha in the future. In the potentially volatile food The IFPRI estimates that from 2006 to 2009, between 15 security context, such preparations may prove profoundly and 20 million ha have been acquired around the world, important for the region’s future. much of it in developing Asian countries. Countries that face land and water deficits but have access to capital seek ‘Land Grabbing’ as a Food Security Phenomenon: farmland in countries with strong agricultural potential A Critical Review and the need for capital investments. Specifically, capital- rich countries in the Middle East have acquired significant ‘Land grabbing’ is a very emotive and contentious issue. It lands in Southeast Asia, with Cambodia and Indonesia is a pejorative term used to describe the process by which being the primary recipient states. Saudi Arabia, a external actors, both public and private, gain control of primary food producer in the Middle East, has seen its lands in a given location at the expense of the lands’ agricultural outputs dwindle through water shortages and traditional or otherwise rightful owners. This term, while has looked further afield to meet its domestic needs. East effective in drawing attention to those who have become Asian countries such as the Republic of Korea, which marginalised through property acquisition agendas, is currently relies on imports for up to 90 per cent of its no longer sufficient or appropriate for describing land food consumption, and China, which while not land- control transfers in Asia. ‘Farmland acquisition’ is a more poor faces daunting food demands and environmental balanced term that can justifiably underwrite a critical stresses, have also actively pursued lands outside of their account of land transitions in Asia. own borders.
Farmland acquisition has been usefully defined by Cotula The interplay between acquiring and recipient actors and colleagues as ‘the purchase of both the ownership defines much of the farmland acquisition discourse. and use rights [of land] through leases or concessions Some take the view that it represents injustice and is whether short or long term.’ Farmland acquisition, economically untenable in the longer term. Against this, despite existing controversy, represents a key element of there are those who insist that farmland acquisition is a the food security strategies of countries lacking in land natural extension of the food trade that can benefit all and/or natural resources. Exploring the modalities of parties involved. Transcending both of these positions, farmland acquisition processes is therefore an important however, is the reality that farmland acquisition is an endeavour, and necessitates analysing the drivers of the increasingly entrenched process that will continue to affect phenomenon, the policies of both investing and recipient the physical, socioeconomic and political landscape of countries, and the potential for ‘win-win’ situations. Asia for the foreseeable future. What is important within this context is to seek symbiotic relationships that respect Land acquisition has accelerated partly as a result of the the needs of acquiring actors as well as ensure social food price fluctuations of 2007–2008. This period of price justice in and the economic futures of recipient states volatility served warning to countries of their own relative and communities. This will require a strengthening of food security vulnerabilities. At the height of the crisis, laws and institutional capacities in recipient states and an 29 countries curbed food exports, 11 countries banned emphasis on uniform regulations and standards globally. rice exports and 15 countries banned the export of wheat.
32 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 5: Appropriate Investments to Match Urban Food Security Needs with Areas of Surplus
Some steps have been taken to this end, including the the next two to three decades. The cerrado is the single creation of farmland acquisition frameworks by the most important location for maintaining this output and IFPRI and the World Bank. More regional engagement is it currently supplies significant amounts of beans, corn, needed from groups such as ASEAN and the South Asian sugarcane and other staple products. Moreover, roughly Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in order 60 million out of the 207 million ha of cerrado land is to address the specific conditions experienced in Asia. still available for agriculture, making it the linchpin of Through such engagement and responsible practices, future agricultural strategies. it is possible that farmland acquisition will emerge as a key food security strategy for acquiring and recipient These future strategies will only be tenable if they are countries alike. pursued in a sustainable manner. There are reasons for optimism on this front, as Brazil has steadily reduced The Brazilian Cerrado Experience and Its Implications the environmental impact of its agricultural activities. for Investment to Produce Surplus Food For example, soybeans cultivated in the cerrado are now being grown largely without nitrogen, and new bacterial Over the past four decades, Brazil has invested heavily inputs allow Brazil to undertake a progressive strategy in agriculture for food and energy; and the results have to ensure biological nitrogen fixation. The country is led it to become an internationally relevant agricultural also extending areas of untilled land and pursuing producer. Brazil’s experience, while tied to its own unique agro-climatic zoning in search of ideal conditions and national circumstances, does provide some insights into maximum yields. The success of these actions, moreover, how developing Asian countries can address their own has taken pressure off of the Amazonian forests, which respective food security challenges. continue to face threats (albeit often overblown) from agricultural expansion. Production improvements in the cerrado regions of Brazil are essential for understanding the country’s Brazil has also been more successful than most in larger success. The cerrado is similar to the savannahs in pursuing an ambitious approach to biofuel production. Africa, and comprises one-fourth of Brazilian land. The Biomass, largely from sugarcane, currently makes up a cerrado is home to light (with some dense) vegetation, very significant part of Brazil’s energy mix, including fuel along with areas of grassland, and has soil with high for half of its 30 million car fleet. Advances in sugarcane aluminium content. The region is also important for water yields and a fledgling second-generation ethanol agenda security, housing some of Brazil’s primary watersheds. suggest that these figures could still increase more. It Soil and water management, the development of new is important to note, however, that the transferability agricultural methods and inputs, and the maintenance of the Brazil’s biofuel strategy may be limited, and the of social systems that are conducive to agriculture have experiences elsewhere provide valuable cautionary tales made the cerrado a key to Brazil’s food and biofuel for many Asian contexts. production strategy. Nonetheless, in the realm of food production, Brazil The agricultural sector is a pillar of the Brazilian can provide developing Asian countries with several economy. Brazil’s 2008 agricultural output was valued important lessons. Like much of Asia, Brazil has neither at USD1.57 trillion, making up over 26 per cent of the the luxury nor the inclination to reduce or eliminate country’s GDP and over one-third of its exports. Current small-scale farming in favour of a sector dominated trends suggest that agriculture will continue to play a by estate-level operations. The millions of small- significant role in the Brazilian economy for at least
33 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 5: Appropriate Investments to Match Urban Food Security Needs with Areas of Surplus scale farmers are important to the country’s economy. inputs required by such expansion make the efficient However, they are also the ones who in leaner times use of land and water the ultimate objectives of the food often suffer from food insecurities. Brazil has responded production sphere. with a mix of social programmes that provide financial assistance when needed as well as regular programmes Despite challenges, agricultural production has realised aimed at improving the agricultural capacities of farmers substantial yield increases, particularly with barley, maize, and the market opportunities available to them. These rice and wheat. These increases, however, have been programmes can be replicated with enough political will predicated to a large extent on investment in research and and Brazil is willing to continue to share its experiences the technical progress that it has wrought. This investment with its Asian counterparts, and collaborate towards a has been in steady decline, and in consequence, output more secure food future. increases have also seen a downward trend. Somewhat paradoxically, the economic downturn has had some Food Security: Opportunities for Increasing Agricultural corollary effects that could partially reverse this trend. Production in Emerging Markets The instability of global markets for stocks, bonds and other financial products has led to capital movement Rather than a second Green Revolution, Asia needs into tangible sectors such as land and crops. These an ‘evolution’ of existing food strategies that builds on investments manifest in a number of ways – private and past experiences and creates more stable regional food government-owned initiatives as well as public-private systems. Paramount to any such strategy will be their partnerships – and create opportunities for a rejuvenation capacity to be both profitable and sustainable. This of the agricultural production sector. is a particularly daunting challenge in the context of growing populations, increasing affluence, shifting food Such emergent opportunities are influenced by a variety choices and a potentially emergent biofuel industry. There of factors. Crop production requires significant initial is, however, no alternative – the social, political and capital investment, and investors can play a role by economic stability of parts of Asia and beyond require initiating projects that would otherwise not have been that agricultural production meet future needs while possible. These capital investments will be predicated protecting environmental endowments. on an assessment of the risks involved in a given project, whether they are political, environmental, or related Advances in food production are not new – the Incas to infrastructure, project execution and marketability. of contemporary South America provide an example of An overall assessment of these risks in a given location agricultural diversification in the face of food challenges suggests its investment potential. Notably, areas that – and such progress can be replicated, particularly with currently suffer from wide yield gaps can be particularly information sharing being widespread today. Likewise, attractive to investors. technological progress resulting from teamwork, innovation and resource allocation appears poised to Three case studies in Europe, Cuba and North Africa continue indefinitely. Both of these points lend themselves have all demonstrated the potential of public-private directly to issues of land-use in food production. Land is partnerships, showing that investment in agricultural the key input for agriculture and must be used judiciously inputs and capacity building can have a marked effect and effectively. The second related primary input for on food production. Such strategies are essential for food production is water, and water requirements vary meeting Asia’s future food needs and, for success from significantly in different environments and for different a food security perspective, they must be pursued in crops. In combination, growing food demand and the conjunction with the strengthening of land rights, the rule
34 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 5: Appropriate Investments to Match Urban Food Security Needs with Areas of Surplus of law, and the principles of social justice. If undertaken Similar issues underlie concerns related to foreign appropriately, such projects can appeal to the mutual direct investment in the agricultural sectors of other interests of all stakeholders in the production process, in countries, which is typically undertaken in the name of that they all desire high yields, marketable quality, low improving efficiencies and outputs. While this may not costs of production, and environmentally and socially be problematic in its own right, there are well-founded sustainable practices. Through these relationships, it has fears that these investments may fail to provide capital, been shown that it is possible to increase productivity, jobs and other benefits for local populations, and will improve value-chain development and increase thus ultimately fail to appropriately address food security resilience. These are the three primary tasks of the Asian concerns. More explicit emphasis needs to be paid to food production sector. supporting not just shareholders, but also communities receiving the investments. Discussion Land acquisition likewise necessitates balancing the The push towards self-sufficiency is not without its interests of foreign investment and local development. problems and the notion that it could erode the principles There is a risk that governments of destination countries of free trade and lead to greater protectionism is potentially are not accountable to, nor do they consult, their people. problematic for the future of the international food trade. This could result in partnerships that produce capital, However, it should not be assumed that supporting but at the expense of local interests. This is exacerbated domestic agricultural sectors will necessarily erode trade, by the reality that many land rights systems in Asia are detract from the necessity of trade or lead to the breaking fragile and based on tradition. In Cambodia, for example, of the rules of trade. The fact that international trade land acquisition has led to forcible evictions of people negotiations allow some level of subsidy in developing with only traditional land rights, and has resulted in states’ agricultural sectors, much of which is not currently violence. Issues also arise from the promotion of food being utilised, demonstrates that there is a middle ground security for wealthy countries at the expense of marginal between strict market liberalisation and myopic emphases populations in destination locations. Is it appropriate that upon domestic food sectors. these processes are viewed as inevitable? And should we take the situation for granted and deal with it only The most intractable food production quandaries facing on its current terms? Moreover, different conditions Asia stem from the interplay between large- and small- pertain in various locations, precluding a one-size-fits- scale farming and the land rights issues that accompany all approach, making such questions even more pressing. shifts in the regional production calculus. Many question One relatively non-contentious point in this ongoing the desires and intentions of the private companies debate is that checks and balances and frameworks for involved in the food sector, some of which are likely evaluation, such as the certification processes put forward concerned almost exclusively with profit to the detriment by the WWF, can mitigate some of the land rights issues of environmental sustainability and social justice. The that would otherwise exist. degree to which these problems can be avoided depends largely on the effectiveness of the partnerships and collaborative endeavours between private and governing entities. These partnerships, when used effectively, can be very useful tools for symbiotic efforts that promote food security at local, state and regional levels.
35 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 6: Statement of the International Conference on Asian Food Security (ICAFS) 2011
Session 6: Statement of the International Conference on Asian Food Security (ICAFS) 2011
An inclusive dialogue was held to discuss the draft of meet many of the demands that have accompanied the ICAFS 2011 Statement on Feeding Asia in the 21st factors such as economic growth, population expansion, Century. The deliberations yielded a range of alterations, demographic changes, and shifts in food preferences. additions, re-emphases and reorientations. The Statement These investments have waned significantly over the was much improved through this process, and the past decade and contributed to the slowdown in food following text represents the culminating contribution production growth. Investments in R&D in particular have of ICAFS 2011. drastically reduced over time in most developing Asian countries, affecting yields of agricultural commodities ICAFS 2011 Statement including fish and other marine products. on Feeding Asia in the 21st Century Food demands, however, continue and will continue to expand especially in Asia where the population is ICAFS 2011 was convened in the shadow of profound expected to rise from 3.8 billion in 2010 to about 5.2 and systemic food challenges throughout Asia. The billion in 2050. Along with this expansion will be more convenors recognised the clear and voluminous evidence demographic changes and marked urbanisation trends. that impediments to food security are among the most More and better quality food will be needed. formidable obstacles to advancing the progress and quality of life for all of Asia’s citizenries. In response, Food production must increase but this time through more the concluding plenary session discussed positions and sustainable increases in yields. Investment momentum in recommendations relating to the pillars of food availability, the agriculture sector must be rejuvenated to support access, utilisation and rural-urban relationships. While yield-enhancing infrastructure and activities, including recognising that there is no single solution to Asia’s food R&D, agricultural extension, insurance and credit, and challenges, the plenary discussion suggests the following assistance to enable small-, medium- and large-scale as guides for future food sector policies and strategies farmers to overcome the emerging threats posed by in Asia. climate change, fuel and food price volatility, and other uncertainties of the globalised food system. Food Availability Such investments should be the responsibility of both the Regain investment momentum in the agriculture and public and private sectors, including companies, farming food sector, and redouble efforts in the R&D sectors. and non-governmental organisations, philanthropic bodies, and government actors. It should also be the Evidence has demonstrated that agriculture is fully capable responsibility of developed countries, especially net of generating high economic returns on investments. importers of food in the region such as Singapore and Food sector investments allowed food production to Brunei, to support R&D in the food producing countries.
36 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 6: Statement of the International Conference on Asian Food Security (ICAFS) 2011
Judiciously pursue enhanced science and Food Access policy innovation. Address the plight of the region’s chronic poor. Higher yields are developed from the intersection of multiple technologies that include conventional The chronic poor, of whom indigenous people make up a technologies such as germplasm breeding; agronomic large proportion, are isolated from mainstream economic practices such as irrigation, fertilisation management and growth. These populations often lack market access pest protection; as well as scientific advancements like and opportunities, have comparatively low skills and those offered by biotechnology. R&D has to be pursued capabilities, and encounter language difficulties. They to increase yields, improve the quality of produce and thus require policies targeted at supporting their specific promote more sustainable agricultural production. conditions. Such support can come in the form of social safety nets or cash transfers, employment generation, However, future R&D efforts should shift such that universal healthcare, and skills training and capacity the most appropriate combination of sciences and development. Such actions are important for bringing techniques should be used with due consideration to the the region’s poor to a level of sufficient productivity and circumstances of small-holder farmers, in terms of their food security. The most beneficial of these safety nets ability to access new technologies, the applicability of are those that would help the chronic poor eventually new technologies in their production environment, and develop to take advantage of market expansion and the capacity of stakeholders to adopt and use the new overall economic growth. technologies that are deployed. Enhance capacities to sustain increases in farm Focus should increasingly shift towards the development production and to diversify livelihood activities to of technologies that will improve the production of increase incomes. commodities that are projected to undergo rapid demand increases because of the evolving economic Agriculture remains the economic backbone of most and demographic circumstances. Technologies should Asian countries but despite the impressive performance of also be pursued to lower the environmental impacts of the sector in the past, value added per unit of production farming and encourage the development of urban and input has not improved to the extent necessary to effect peri-urban agriculture. Singapore and other urban areas broad-based progress in living conditions, especially for can act as pioneers for innovative farming techniques small-holder farmers. Incomes in the agriculture sector such as agro-parks, aquazones, vertical farming, rooftop have to improve through diversification, not only to high aquaponics, and aeroponics. value crops but also to value-adding activities that would facilitate the transformation of the agricultural sector into All of these technological ambitions should be more commercial scales. accompanied by the formation and implementation of adequate and appropriate policies and regulations, Farmers’ capacities have to be strengthened in the particularly those pertaining to intellectual property (IP), following areas: (1) access and use of appropriate that would allow their use by small- and large-scale technologies to improve yields; (2) ability to engage farmers across a range of regional locations. in agribusiness activities; (3) participation in the food
37 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 6: Statement of the International Conference on Asian Food Security (ICAFS) 2011 supply chain; and (4) the organisation of effective populations that are partly dependent on imports for their farmers’ groups and cooperatives. To make this happen, food requirements. In this regard, unfettered trade should investment support will be needed to provide public be promoted and trade partners expanded. Additionally, goods such as infrastructure, post-harvest facilities and export curbs and other distorting trade policies should market information systems; correct market failures and be discouraged to avert food shortages and episodes of deliver credit; eliminate institutional gaps in sectors such price volatility. The establishment of effective food supply as training and skills development; and remove distorting and demand monitoring and early warning systems can economic policies and impediments to the progress help prepare for market disturbances. Likewise, the of small-holder farmers. Investing in the agricultural establishment of emergency food reserves can prevent sector, and particularly in women who are small-holder countries from becoming more food insecure. Measures farmers, is essential for feeding much of the region’s such as robust and deep grain futures markets that have most vulnerable. never been applied to agricultural commodities should be studied in terms of their effectiveness in promoting Greater participation in the transformation of local transparency of price formation, supply stability and markets and the expanding international trade. market confidence. Singapore’s role as a leading global and regional financial hub can also serve as a base for A significant transformation is taking place in the food these commodity futures markets. supply chain; consumers now obtain 40 per cent of agricultural produce from supermarkets and corporate Food Utilisation retail outlets. Private sector investments are critical in the modernisation of this supply chain particularly in the Take pragmatic and concrete efforts to link policies in off-farm segments that involve wholesalers, processors the food and health sectors. and supermarkets to improve efficiency, ensure delivery of trusted quality products, and reduce transaction costs, Policies should encourage both yield growth and resulting in lower food prices. Governments should lower higher nutritional values for agricultural commodities. entry barriers for private businesses and put in place more They should help popularise nutritionally improved stringent food safety measures. Small-holder farmers food products, advocating their benefits to consumers should be well integrated into the whole modernisation and enhancing their marketability through developing process. Governments should encourage investments in techniques for their diversified preparation. At the physical and human capital to lessen the exceptional same time, strong national food control and regulatory start-up costs of small-holder farmer collaboration on systems that are reinforced by international guidelines, agricultural projects. particularly those addressed in the Codex Alimentarius, should be put in place and built along all phases of the While much of the food consumed in Asia is produced food chain. domestically, the role of international trade is accelerating in importance especially with the rapid expansion of urban
38 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Session 6: Statement of the International Conference on Asian Food Security (ICAFS) 2011
Pursue risk-based approaches to food safety that are often difficult to manage, and require policy interventions predicated upon leading scientific knowledge and that cooperatively address the different circumstances extend throughout entire food chains. and interests of urban food consumers and rural food producers. Quality and safety must be holistically pursued throughout all phases of the food chain, with end-product inspections Recognise the importance of agriculture for rural serving as a supplementary rather than primary strategy. employment and development, and implement policies Preventative on- and off-farm strategies must replace that help rural actors face the challenges that exist in reactive approaches to risk, and strong national food changing Asian food systems. control and regulatory systems should strive to increase public confidence in the safety of the modernising Millions of rural stakeholders in Asia look to the food agricultural sector. These food safety measures must be sector for their sustenance and livelihood, and ensuring pursued in ways that neither exaggerate nor discount that needs are met in both areas is paramount for food food utilisation risks, and be actuated in ways that do security in both rural and urban settings. The plague of not compromise the sustainability of local livelihoods. poverty and hunger should thus be reprioritised throughout Asia, and the key role played by small-holder farmers, Additionally, food safety standards must be harmonised many of them women, should be reflected in future policy at the regional and even international level by investing directions. Specifically, improvements in land tenure in more sensitive detection methods for pathogens and legislation and regulation, supply-chain and storage contaminants, strengthening food testing laboratories and infrastructure, access to modern agricultural inputs, improving food safety accreditation systems. Efforts should sharing of best practices, and food price management are also be focused on the development of mechanisms not all readily possible and vital for the future of rural Asia. only to share but also to promote collaborative use of knowledge and expertise. Utilise resources available in urban contexts to promote sustainable agricultural advancement in rural settings. Rural-Urban Relationships Investments in agricultural production are needed Extend existing foundations to create positive symbiotic from urban economic, political and social centres, and relationships between producing and consuming actors. investors and recipients should pursue policies that protect local communities and contribute to national It is clear that food importing countries can impact strategies that recognise that environmentally and socially conditions in producing states and regions in fundamental sustainable policies are essential for future growth and ways. These relationships need to be managed in order to prosperity. Combining the financial, economic, logistical add resilience and reduce vulnerabilities for importing and research capacities of urban areas with the land states while providing economic opportunities for and natural resource endowments of Asia’s hinterlands producing countries. While potentially symbiotic, such is essential for the region to effectively respond to the relationships between producer and consumer states are formidable food security challenges of the 21st Century.
39 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances PROGRAMME
Programme International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 Why ASEAN Needs to Be Concerned 10–12 August 2011 about Food Security Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, Singapore Associate Professor Mely Caballero-Anthony Director of External Relations, Day 1 Political Security Community Department, 10 August 2011 (Wednesday) ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, Indonesia 08:00 Registration presenting on behalf of 08:55 Arrival of Guest of Honour Dr Surin Pitsuwan Dr Mohamad Maliki bin Osman Secretary General, ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Indonesia National Development and Ministry of Defence, Singapore Asian Food Security in Relation to Global Food Security 09:00 Welcome Remarks Ambassador Barry Desker Dr Fan Shenggen Dean, S. Rajaratnam School of International Director General, International Food Policy Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Research Institute (IFPRI), Washington, DC, Singapore US
09:10 Welcome Remarks Effects of the European Union’s Food and Dr Gil Saguiguit, Jr Agriculture Trade Policies on Food Security for Executive Director, Developing and/or Net Food Importing Countries Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) / Dr Franz Fischler Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Former European Union (EU) Commissioner for Organization (SEAMEO), Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries Philippines Food Security, Livelihoods and the Rural Poor 09:20 Introduction to ICAFS 2011 Professor Paul Teng Fr Francis Lucas Senior Fellow and Advisor to the Food Security Chairperson, Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Programme, Centre for Non-Traditional Security Reform and Rural Development (ANGOC), (NTS) Studies,S. Rajaratnam School of International Philippines Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University; and Dean, Graduate Programmes and Research, Q&A Session and Media Questions National Institute of Education, Singapore 12.45 Lunch Sponsored by CropLife International and 09:35 Keynote Speech by Guest of Honour CropLife Asia Dr Mohamad Maliki bin Osman Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of 14:00 SESSION 1: The Scope of Food Security in Asia National Development and Ministry of Defence, Singapore Moderator
10:30 HIGH-LEVEL FORUM ON FOOD SECURITY Associate Professor Mely Caballero-Anthony Sub-theme: ‘Think Global, Act Asia’ Director of External Relations, Political Security Community Department, Moderator ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, Indonesia Dr Gil Saguiguit, Jr Executive Director, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) / Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), Philippines
40 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances PROGRAMME
The Interdependence between Urban and Rural Day 2 Food Security in Asia 11 August 2011 (Thursday)
Professor Paul Teng CONCURRENT SESSIONS 2 & 3 Senior Fellow and Advisor to the Food Security Programme, Centre for Non-Traditional Security 08:30 SESSION 2: Increasing Food Availability: (NTS) Studies,S. Rajaratnam School of International Promoting Sustainable Agricultural Production Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University; in Asia and Dean, Graduate Programmes and Research, National Institute of Education, Moderator Singapore Dr Tan Siang Hee Dr Margarita Escaler Executive Director, CropLife Asia, Research Fellow, Graduate Programmes and Singapore Research Office, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, The Need for a ‘Doubly Green Revolution’ to Singapore Increase Food Availability
and Dr T.J. Higgins Honorary Research Fellow, Associate Professor Mely Caballero-Anthony Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Director of External Relations, Research Organisation (CSIRO), Political Security Community Department, Australia ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, Indonesia Meeting the Needs for More Fish through Aquaculture Making More Food Available: Promoting Sustainable Agricultural Production Dr Vijay Gupta Modadugu World Food Prize Laureate 2005, Professor Rudy Rabbinge India University Professor in Sustainable Development and Food Security, Enhancing Food Security by Urban and Wageningen University, Peri-urban Agriculture in China: Best Practices Netherlands; and Upscaling and Immediate Past Chair, Science Council of the Consultative Group on International Professor Cai Jianming Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Resources in Cambodia: Implications for Sciences; and China Regional Coordinator of Food Security, Human Nutrition and Conservation the Resource Centres on Urban Agriculture and Food Security (RUAF) Foundation, Dr So Nam China Director, Inland Fisheries Research and Development Institute (IFReDI), Crop Traits to Increase Productivity by Cambodia Increasing Yield and Decreasing Losses
The Role of Agribusiness and Opportunities for Dr Harvey Glick Investment in Food Security Senior Director – Asia, Regulatory Policy and Scientific Affairs, Monsanto Company, Ms Kavita Prakash-Mani Singapore Head, Food Security Agenda, Syngenta International AG, Q&A Session Switzerland 08:30 SESSION 3: Improving and Ensuring Q&A Session Access to Food
17:00 MARKETPLACE A Moderator Sponsored by Monsanto Company Pte Ltd Posters displaying projects, technologies, or Dr Mercedita Sombilla R&D outcomes that contribute to food security; Manager, Research and Development Department, meeting place to exchange ideas. Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), End of Day 1 Philippines
41 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances PROGRAMME
Economic and Agricultural Policies and Their and Impact on Access to Food by Vulnerable Sectors of Society Mr John Aylieff Director for Southeast Asia, World Ms Atsuko Toda Food Programme, Country Programme Manager, Asia and Pacific Thailand Division, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Biofortification and Emerging Creative Vietnam Approaches of the Food Production Sector to Improve Nutrition Asian Food Security, Global Grain Trade and the Role of Agribusiness Firms in Managing the Dr Gerard Barry Supply Chains HarvestPlus Rice Crop Team Leader; and Golden Rice Network Coordinator, International Dr Rolando Dy Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Executive Director, Center for Food and Philippines AgriBusiness, University of Asia and the Pacific (UAP), Ensuring Food Safety for Food Security Philippines Ms Shashi Sareen Supermarkets, Modern Supply Chain, Senior Food Safety and Nutrition Officer, Food Food Security and the Small Farmer and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Regional Office for Asia and Professor Thomas Reardon the Pacific, Bangkok, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Thailand Economics, Michigan State University, US Effects of Food Security Research, Policy and Programmes on Financialisation of Food Commodities Nutrition Security – Not the Cause, Not the Cure Assistant Professor Jintana Yhoung-aree Dr Santitarn Sathirathai Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University, Economist, Emerging Markets Economics Thailand Research group, Credit Suisse, Singapore Q&A Session
and 13:30 SESSION 5: Appropriate Investments to Match Urban Food Security Needs with Areas of Surplus Mr Kun Lung Wu Economist, Credit Suisse, Moderator Singapore Dr Lourdes S. Adriano Q&A Session Lead Agriculture Sector Specialist, Agriculture, Rural Development and Food Security Unit, 12:30 Lunch Asian Development Bank (ADB), Philippines CONCURRENT SESSIONS 4 & 5 The Doha Round Negotiations on Agricultural 13:30 SESSION 4: Food Utilisation Dimensions of Trade Rules and Their Potential Impact on Food Security – Ensuring Health and Nutrition Food Security
Moderator Mr Raul Montemayor National Manager, Federation of Free Farmers Dr Annie S. Wesley Cooperatives, Inc. (FFFCI), Senior Programme Specialist, Agriculture and Philippines Environment, International Development Research Centre (IDRC), ‘Land Grabbing’ as a Food Security Canada Phenomenon: A Critical Review
Identifying Food Insecure Populations and Mr Pau Khan Khup Hangzo Response Action to Ensure Food Security Associate Research Fellow, Centre for Non- Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, S. Rajaratnam Mr Michael Sheinkman School of International Studies (RSIS), Senior Regional Programme Advisor – Vulnerability, Nanyang Technological University, Analysis and Mapping (VAM), World Food Singapore Programme, Regional Bureau for Asia, Thailand and
42 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances PROGRAMME
Ms Irene A. Kuntjoro 11:00 ICAFS Statement on Feeding Asia in Research Analyst, Control Risks, the 21st Century Singapore Dr Gil Saguiguit, Jr The Brazilian Cerrado Experience Executive Director, Southeast Asian Regional and Its Implications for Investment to Center for Graduate Study and Research in Produce Surplus Food Agriculture (SEARCA) / Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), Dr Jose Geraldo Eugenio de Franca Philippines Executive Director, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), and Brazil Professor Paul Teng Food Security: Opportunities for Increasing Senior Fellow and Advisor to the Food Security Agricultural Production in Emerging Markets Programme, Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies,S. Rajaratnam School of International Dr Keith Dawson Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University; Technical Director, Continental Farmers Group and Dean, Graduate Programmes and Research, Ltd; and Vice President, Scottish Society National Institute of Education, of Crop Research, Singapore UK 11:50 Closing Remarks Q&A session Associate Professor Ralf Emmers 17:00 MARKETPLACE B Acting Head, Centre for Non-Traditional Sponsored by Monsanto Company Pte Ltd Security (NTS) Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), End of Day 2 Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Day 3 12 August 2011 (Friday) 12:00 Lunch
09:00 SESSION 6: Capstone Plenary Session Capping 13:30 SATELLITE WORKSHOPS it off: Panel of Experts and Open Discussion Workshop A: Forming a Global Consortium on Moderators Food Security Initiatives By invitation only Professor Paul Teng Convenors: Hohenheim University; Centre for Senior Fellow and Advisor to the Food Security Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, Programme, Centre for Non-Traditional Security S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS); (NTS) Studies,S. Rajaratnam School of International Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University; Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and Dean, Graduate Programmes and Research, National Institute of Education, Workshop B: EU Policies on Food Security Singapore Open to ICAFS participants Convenor: EU Centre and Workshop C: Challenges to the Acceptance and Dr Gil Saguiguit, Jr Adoption of Crop Biotechnology Executive Director, Southeast Asian Regional Open to ICAFS participants Center for Graduate Study and Research in Convenor: International Service for the Agriculture (SEARCA) / Southeast Asian Ministers Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) of Education Organization (SEAMEO), Philippines Workshop D: Workshop on Nutrition Security By invitation only The five panellists (i.e., the moderators for the earlier Convenor: International Development Research five sessions) will give their recommendations Centre (IDRC) on each of the following questions based on the presentations and discussions in each of the sessions: - End of Conference -
- What immediate policy, technical or other interventions are needed to improve food security in Asia? - How can net food importing countries contribute to stabilisation of food availability, access and utilisation for Asia and globally?
43 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances List of Speakers and Moderators
List of Speakers and Moderators in alphabetical order according to last names 8. Dr Fan Shenggen Director General, 1. Dr Lourdes S. Adriano International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Lead Agriculture Sector Specialist, 2033 K Street, NW, Agriculture, Rural Development and Food Security Unit, Washington, DC, 20006, Asian Development Bank (ADB), USA 6 ADB Avenue, Email: [email protected] Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila 1550, 9. Dr Franz Fischler Philippines Former European Union (EU) Commissioner for Agriculture, Email: [email protected] Rural Development and Fisheries, Dorferstrasse 30B, 2. Dr Gerard Barry Absam A-6067, HarvestPlus Rice Crop Team Leader; and Programme Leader, Austria International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Email: [email protected] DAPO Box 7777, Metro Manila 1301, 10. Dr Jose Geraldo Eugenio de Franca Philippines Executive Director Email: [email protected] Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), Sqsw 102, Bl F, ap 102 – Setor Sudoeste, 3. Associate Professor Mely Caballero-Anthony Brasilia DF 70670-206, Director of External Relations, Brazil Political Security Community Department, Email: [email protected], [email protected] ASEAN Secretariat, 70A, Jalan Sisingamangaraja. 11. Dr Harvey Glick Jakarta 12110, Director, Jakarta, Scientific Outreach Asia, Indonesia Monsanto Company Pte Ltd, Email: [email protected] 151 Lorong Chuan, New Tech Park #06-08, 4. Professor Cai Jianming Singapore 556741 Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Email: [email protected] Chinese Academy of Sciences, 11A Datun Road, 12. Mr Pau Khan Khup Hangzo Anwai 100101, Beijing, Associate Research Fellow, China Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, Email: [email protected] S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, 5. Dr Swapan Kumar Datta Blk S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Deputy Director General (Crop Science), Singapore 639798 Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Email: [email protected] Shi Bhavan, Dr Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi 110114, 13. Dr T.J. Higgins India Honorary Research Fellow, Email: [email protected] Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), 6. Dr Keith Dawson GPO Box 1600, Technical Director, Canberra ACT 2601, Continental Farmers Group Ltd; and Vice President, Australia Scottish Society of Crop Research, Email: [email protected] The Old Schoolhouse, 6 Bonnington Road, Peebles, 14. Fr Francis Lucas Borders EH45 9HF, Chairperson, United Kingdom Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Email: [email protected] Development (ANGOC), 73-K Dr. Lazcano Street, 7. Dr Rolando Dy Brgy. Laging Handa, Executive Director, Quezon City, 1103, Center for Food and AgriBusiness, Philippines University of Asia and the Pacific (UAP), Email: [email protected] Pearl Drive, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, 15. Dr Vijay Gupta Modadugu Philippines 1600 World Food Prize Laureate 2005, Email: [email protected] C502 Aditya Elite, B.S. Maktha, Begumpet, Hyderabad 500016, A.P. India Email: [email protected]
44 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances List of Speakers and Moderators
16. Mr Raul Montemayor 24. Mr Michael Sheinkman National Business Manager, Senior Regional Programme Advisor – Vulnerability, Federation of Free Farmers Cooperatives, Inc. (FFFCI), Analysis and Mapping (VAM), 41 Highland Drive, Blue Ridge, World Food Programme, Regional Bureau for Asia, Quezon City, Wave Place Bldg, 7th Floor, 55 Wireless Road, Metro Manila 1109, Lumpini, Patumwan, Philippines Bangkok 10330, Email: [email protected] Thailand Email: [email protected] 17. Dr So Nam Director, 25. Dr Mercedita Sombilla Inland Fisheries Research and Development Institute (IFReDI), Manager, #186 Norodom Blvd., Research and Development Department, Phnom Penh +855, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Cambodia Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Email: [email protected] 001 National Highway, Brgy Talaga, Rizal Laguna 2003, 18. Ms Kavita Prakash-Mani Philippines Head, Email: [email protected] Food Security Agenda, Syngenta International AG, 26. Dr Tan Siang Hee Schwarzwaldallee 215, Executive Director, Basel CH 4058, CropLife Asia,Singapore, Switzerland 150 Cantonment Road, Email: [email protected] Blk B, #01-07, Singapore 089272 19. Professor Rudy Rabbinge Email: [email protected] University Professor in Sustainable Development and Food Security Wageningen University, Netherlands; and Immediate Past Chair, 27. Professor Paul Teng Science Council of the Consultative Group on Senior Fellow and Advisor to the Food Security International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), Programme, P.O. Box 102 Wageningen, Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, Gelderland 6700 AC, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS); and Netherlands Dean, Graduate Programmes and Research, Email: [email protected] National Institute of Education Nanyang Technological University, 20. Professor Thomas Reardon Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Nanyang Technological University 202 Agriculture Hall, Singapore 639798 Michigan State University, Telephone: +65 6790 3868 East Lansing, MI 48824-1039, Email: [email protected] USA Email: [email protected] 28. Ms Atsuko Toda Country Programme Manager, 21. Dr Gil Saguiguit, Jr Asia and Pacific Division, Vietnam, Executive Director, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Via Paolo di Dono, 44, Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) / Southeast Asian Rome, Italy Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), Email: [email protected] College, Los Banos, Laguna 4031, 29. Assistant Professor Jintana Yhoung-aree Philippines Institute of Nutrition, Email: [email protected] Mahidol University, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom 73170, 22. Ms Shashi Sareen Thailand Senior Food Safety and Nutrition Officer, Email: [email protected] Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, 30. Dr Annie S. Wesley 39 Phra Atit Road, Senior Programme Specialist, Bangkok 10200, Agriculture and Environment, Thailand International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Email: [email protected] 150 Kent Street, PO Box 8500, 23. Mr Santitarn Sathirathai Ottawa, Ontario K1G 3H9, Research Analyst, Canada Credit Suisse, Email: [email protected] 10 Gopeng Street Unit 41-26, Singapore 078878 Email: [email protected]
45 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances List of Participants
List of Participants in alphabetical order according to last names 9. Dr Houcine Boughanmi Rear Admiral (NS), 1. Mr Abdul Rahim bin Abdul Hamid Sultan Qaboos University, PhD Candidate, 34, College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, National University of Singapore, SQU 123, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Al Khod, Muscat, Singapore 119077 Oman Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
2. Dr Rhodora Aldemita 10. Dr Marshall Bouton Senior Programme Officer President, International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Applications (ISAAA), 332 South Michigan Ave, Suite 1100, DAPO Box 7777, Chicago, IL 60604, Metro Manila, US Philippines Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] 11. Ms Ann Brightling 3. Dr V.N. Varma Alluri CropLife Asia, Associate Professor in Economics, 150 Cantonment Road, P.G. Courses & Research Centre, D.N.R. College, Block B 01-07, Andhra University, Bhimavaran, Singapore 089762 Andhra Pradesh 534202, Email: [email protected] India Email: [email protected] 12. Mr David Brown Agriculture Specialist, 4. Dr Katrin Bach Thailand Burma Border Consortium, Professor, 12/5 Convent Road, Silom, Management Center Innsbruck, Bangrak 10500, Egger-Lienz-Strasse 120, Bangkok, Innsbruck, Tirol 6020, Thailand Austria Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] 13. Mr Junwell Cabigao 5. Mr Christopher Baker Researcher, Research Analyst and PhD Student, National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, Centre for International Security Studies, 940 Kayumanggi Bldg., Quezon Avenue, 38 Ilford Ave, Buttaba, Quezon City, National Capital Region 1103, NSW 2283, Philippines Australia Email: junwel [email protected] Email: [email protected] 14. Dr Maria-Celeste Cadiz 6. Dr Monika Barthwal-Datta Manager for Knowledge Management, Food Security Programme Leader, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Centre for International Security Studies, Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, College, Los Banos, University of Sydney, Laguna 4031, Merewether Building, 2006, Philippines Sydney, NSW 2006, Email: [email protected] Australia Email: [email protected] 15. Ms Jacqui Caine Deputy High Commissioner, 7. Mrs Aruna Bhinge New Zealand High Commission, Head – Food Security Agenda (APAC), 391A Orchard Rd, Syngenta India Limited, #15-06/10 Ngee Ann City Tower A, Amar Paradigm, Singapore 238873 S. No. 110/11/3, Baner Rd, Email: [email protected] Pune 411045, Maharashtra, 16. Dr Mario Capanzana India Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Email: [email protected] Department of Science and Technology, DOST Compound, Gen Santos Ave., 8. Mr Parthajyoti Borkotoky Bicutan, Taguig City, Master’s Student (Researcher), Metro Manila 1631, University Putra Malaysia, Philippines Department of Agribusiness and Info System, Email: [email protected] Faculty of Agriculture, UPM, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia Email: [email protected]
46 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances List of Participants
17. Ms Clarissa Casabuena 25. Dr Chua Sin Bin Chief Financial Officer, Senior Consultant, C. B. Andrew Asia, Inc., Singbridge International Singapore Pte Ltd, Bldg. Y-1, JY & Sons Compound, 45 Maxwell Road #08-01, PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate, The URA Centre, Taguig City 1630, Singapore 069118 Manila, Email: [email protected] Philippines Email: [email protected] 26. Mr Clement Chua Senior Assistant Director (Resource Planning), 18. Mr Ricardo Casabuena Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), President and Chief Executive Officer, New Phoenix Park, C.B. Andrew Asia, Inc., 28 Irrawaddy Road, Taguig City 1630, Singapore 329560 Manila, Email: [email protected] Philippines Email: [email protected] 27. Mr Chuah Chong Hin Chief Executive Officer, 19. Mr Chan Wai Keong Genomar South East Asia Pte Ltd, Assistant Manager, TLL Building, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA), 1 Research Link, 5 Maxwell Road #03-00, National University of Singapore, Tower Block, MND Complex, Singapore 117604 Singapore 069110 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] 28. Ms Isabelle Coche 20. Ms Cheng Mei-luan CropLife International, Assistant Professor, Avenue Louise 326, Department of Applied Economics, Brussels 1050, National Chung Hsing University, Belgium 250, Kuo Kuang Rd, Email: [email protected] Taichung 402, Taiwan 29. Mr Prem Koman Damodaran Email: [email protected] International Development Research Centre (IDRC), 22 Cross Street #02-55, 21. Ms Chew Wei Yen, Stephanie South Bridge Court, Executive Manager, Singapore 048421 Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA), Email: [email protected] 5 Maxwell Road #03-00, Tower Block, MND Complex, 30. Rear Admiral (NS) Mateus de Jesus Gomes Singapore 069110 Lecturer, Email: [email protected] Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e, Avenida Cidade de Lisboa, Dili, 22. Associate Professor Wiboon Chongrattanameteekul Timor-Leste Deputy Director, International Studies Center, Telephone: +670 3321210 Kasetsart University, Email: [email protected] P.O. Box 1097, Bangkok 10903, 31. Dr Wellington Ekaya Thailand Programme Manager, Training and Quality Assurance, Email: [email protected] Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), 23. Ms Choo Yi Siang, Thereis Plot 151, Garden Hill, Makerere University, Assistant Director / Infrastructure Division, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala 414, Ministry of National Development, Uganda 5 Maxwell Road #21-00 & #22-00, Email: [email protected] Tower Block, MND Complex, Singapore 069110 32. Mr Arnold Hsin-hao Fang Email: [email protected] PhD Candidate, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, 24. Mr Choe Chol Ho 7-22-1 Roppongi, Senior Officer, Minato-ku Tokyo 106-8677, Academy of Agricultural Science, Japan Songbuk-dong, 147, Ryongsong District, Email: [email protected] Pyongyang 147, DPR Korea Email: [email protected]
47 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances List of Participants
33. Ms Samantha Fisher 42. Ms Azul Gomez Consultant, Researcher, Policy Support Unit, Accenture, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Secretariat – PSU, Level 33-00, 250 North Bridge Road, 35 Heng Mui Keng Terrace, Singapore 179101 Singapore 119616 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
34. Mr Foo Siang Ming 43. Dr Julian F. Gonsalves Deputy Director, Freelance Consultant and Evaluator, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA), Purok 90, Mag-asawang Ilat, 5 Maxwell Road #03-00, Tagaytay City Cavite, Tower Block, MND Complex, Philippines, Singapore 069110 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] 44. Dr Randy Hautea 35. Mr Nathaniel Forbes Global Coordinator, Director, International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Forbes Calamity Prevention Pte Ltd, Applications (ISAAA), 75C Duxton Road, ISAAA Southeast Asia Center, Singapore 089534 Los Banos, Laguna 4030, Email: [email protected] Philippines Email: [email protected] 36. Mr Peter Ford Regional Director – Marketing & Strategic Planning, 45. Dr He Shuquan Du Pont Company (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Associate Professor, 1 HarbourFront Place, Shanghai University, HarbourFront Tower One #11-00, 10, Department of Economics, Singapore 098633 99, Shanghda Road, Email: [email protected] Baoshan District 200444, Shanghai, 37. Ms Karen Lou Francisco China IDRC Representative, Email: [email protected] International Development Research Centre (IDRC), 22 Cross Street, 46. Mr Ho Nai Kin 02-55 South Bridge Court, Advisor, Singapore 048421 Oryza Tech Sdn Bhd, Email: [email protected] 103A, Jalan Saga Ria 5, Taman Saga, 38. Mr Mark Fritzler Alor Setar, Kedah 05400, Programme Director, TOPS Programme, Malaysia Save the Children, Email: [email protected] 2000 L Street NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036, 47. Mr Edmund Hoh USA Project Leader – Sustainability, Email: [email protected] Earth Observatory of Singapore, 50 Nanyang Avenue, N2-01a-03, 39. Mr David Fullbrook Singapore 639798 Independent researcher Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] 48. Dr Masayuki Hori 40. Ms Alicia Goh Chief Researcher, Teacher, The Kaiteki Institute, Inc., Raffles Institution, 4-14-1 Shiba Minato-Ku, One Raffles Institution Lane, Tokyo 108-0014, Singapore 575954 Japan Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
41. Mr Silvino Gomes 49. Ms Tammy Hredzak Food Security and Community Based Nutrition Specialist, Analyst, Policy Support Unit, Hivos, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Secretariat – PSU, Rua Cardoso Dias No. 17, 35 Heng Mui Keng Terrace, Bairro Central, Singapore 119616 Dili 0670, Email: [email protected] Timor-Leste Email: [email protected]
48 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances List of Participants
50. Mr Jason Huang 57. Dr Haniza Khalid Senior Corporate Executive, Assistant Professor, Prima Limited, Department of Economics, 201 Keppel Road, Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences, Singapore 099419 International Islamic University, Email: [email protected] P.O. Box 10, 50728, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 51. Dr Nahla Hwalla Email: [email protected] Dean, American University of Beirut, 58. Ms Khoo Gek Hoon Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Deputy Director, P.O. Box 11-0236, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA), Riad El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020, 5 Maxwell Road #03-00, Lebanon Tower Block, MND Complex, Email: [email protected] Singapore 069110 Email: [email protected] 52. Dr Md Saidul Islam Assistant Professor, 59. Ms Khor Yu Leng National Technological University, Research Consultant, HSS 05-44, Khor Reports / Segi Enam Advisors Pte Ltd, 14 Nanyang Drive, 15A Balmoral Road #03-06, Singapore 637332 Singapore 259816 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
53. Professor Victor Jimenez 60. Dr Mahmud Khoramivafa Professor / Regional Coordinator, Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Food Security Center (FSC), Razi University, Universidad de Costa Rica, Campus of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Grain and Seed Research Center (CIGRAS), Imam Khomeini Free Way, San Pedro, San Jose 2060, Kermanshah, Costa Rica Iran Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
54. Dr Abhay Joshi 61. Mr Kim Myong Sik Researcher, Liaison Officer, ICU-Tokyo, EC-funded Food Security Office in DPR Korea, Tokyo Chuo-Ku Tsukuda 2-1-2, Munsudong 34, Taedonggang District, East Tower II # 2603, Pyongyang, Tokyo 1040051, DPR Korea Japan Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] 62. Mrs Kim Ok Suk 55. Dr Poonpipope Kasemsap Senior Officer, Director, Ministry of Agriculture, International Studies Center, Jungsongdong 75, Central District, Kasetsart University, Pyongyang, 50 Phaholyotin Road, DPR Korea Jatujak 10900, Bangkok, Email: [email protected] Thailand Email: [email protected] 63. Mr Gary Kleyn Manager, 56. Dr Behzad Kaviani Livanini Future Directions International, Member of the Academic Board, PO Box 769, Islamic Azad University, West Perth, 6872, Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Australia Islamic Azad University, Rasht Branch, Email: [email protected] Rasht, Guilan, Iran Email: [email protected]
49 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances List of Participants
64. Ms Ko Wan-chi 72. Associate Professor Lee Bu Sung Senior Agricultural Officer, President, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Singapore Advanced Research and Education Network, 518 Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, Nanyang Technological University, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, School of Computer Engineering, Kowloon, Block N4-02a-16, Nanyang Avenue, Hong Kong Singapore 639798 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
65. Mr David Koh 73. Mr Lee Kwong Weng Ministry of National Development, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Corporate & Technology Group), 5 Maxwell Road #21-00 & #22-00, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA), Tower Block, MND Complex, 5 Maxwell Road #03-00, Singapore 069110 Tower Block, MND Complex, Email: [email protected] Singapore 069110 Email: [email protected] 66. Mr Eric Koh Divisional Director of Administration and Emergency Planning, 74. Ms Lee Siew Moi International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, Assistant Director, 230 Victoria Street, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA), Level 10, Bugis Junction Office Tower, 5 Maxwell Road #03-00, Singapore 188024 Tower Block, MND Complex, Email: [email protected] Singapore 069110 Email: [email protected] 67. Dr Unathi Kolanisi Lecturer, 75. Mr Leo Chen Lan University of KwaZulu-Natal, Executive Director, Flat 27, The Towers, International Rice Research Institute Fund Ltd, 60 College Road, Pelham, 29 Heng Mui Keng Terrace, Pietermaritzburg, 3201, Blk A, #06-01, KwaZulu-Natal, Singapore 119620 South Africa Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] 76. Mr Lim Chee Hwee 68. Rear Admiral (NS) Sauwaluck Koojaroenprasit Director (Infrastructure Division), Assistant Professor, Ministry of National Development, Kasetsart University, 5 Maxwell Road #21-00 & #22-00, 50 Ngam Wongwan Road, Tower Block, MND Complex, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Singapore 069110 Thailand Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] 77. Mr Wesley Lim 69. Mr Jonathan Kua Assistant Director (Policy and International Relations), Director, National Security Coordination Secretariat (NSCS), Economic Development Board (EDB), 5 Maxwell Road, 250 North Bridge Road, Singapore 640604 #28-00 Raffles City Tower, Email: [email protected] Singapore 179101 Email: [email protected] 78. Mr Liu Yue Xiang Senior Assistant Director, 70. Mr Chun Lai Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), Independent Consultant 100 High Street #09-01, PO Box 35001 UPLB, The Treasury, College, Laguna 4031, Singapore 179434Email: [email protected] Philippines Email: [email protected] 79. Colonel (NS) Loh Kean Wah Deputy Director (Policy & International Relations), 71. Rear Admiral (NS) Le Danh Tuyen National Security Coordination Secretariat, Prime Deputy Director, Minister’s Office (NSCS-PMO), National Institute of Nutrition, 5 Maxwell Road #15-00, 48B Tang Bat Ho Street, Hanoi, Tower Block, MND Complex, Vietnam Singapore 069110 Email: [email protected], [email protected] Email: [email protected]
50 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances List of Participants
80. Mr Loke Hoe-Yeong 88. Dr Siti Muslimatun Policy and Programme Executive, Deputy Director, EU Centre in Singapore, Southeast Asian Ministers of Education, Tropical Medicine 11 Slim Barracks Rise (off North Buona Vista Road), and Public Health Network (SEAMEO TROPMED), #06-01 Executive Centre (NTU@one-north campus), Campus of the University of Indonesia, Singapore 138664 Jl. Salemba Raya No. 6, Email: [email protected] Jakarta 10430, Indonesia 81. Dr Loke Wai Hong Email: [email protected] Regional Director, Centre for Agricultural Bioscience International (CABI) 89. Dr Claudino Ninas Nabais Southeast and East Asia, Maize Breeder, P.O. Box 210, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, UPM Post Office, St. Nocolau Lobato, Serdang, Selangor 43400, Comoro, Dili 408, Malaysia Timor-Leste Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
82. Dr Hein Mallee 90. Dr Mariechel Navarro International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Manager, 22 Cross Street, International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech 02-55 South Bridge Court, Applications (ISAAA), Singapore 048421 Khush Hall, IRRI, Email: [email protected] Los Banos, Laguna 4031, Philippines 83. Ms Rabayl Manzoor Email: [email protected] Senior Policy Advisor, Organization for Social Development Initiatives (OSDI), 91. Ms Sandra Ng 2nd Floor, Business Centre, Assistant Director, Mumtaz Hasan Road, National Security Coordination Secretariat, Prime Karachi, Sind 74000, Minister's Office (NSCS-PMO), Pakistan 5 Maxwell Road #15-00, Email: [email protected] Tower Block, MND Complex, Singapore 069110 84. Professor Antonio Marquina Email: [email protected] Faculty of Political Science, Research Unit on International Security and Cooperation (UNISCI), 92. Mr Ng Choon Kiat Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Manager (Conventions & Meetings), Campus de Somosaguas, Singapore Tourism Board, 28223 Madrid, Tourism Court 1, Orchard Spring Lane, Spain Singapore 247729 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
85. Dr Arpita Mathur 93. Dr Ngiam Tong Tau Former Research Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of Senior Consultant, International Studies (RSIS), Singbridge International Singapore Pte Ltd, Block 10, #02-01, 45 Maxwell Road #08-01, Grande Vista, Cactus Drive, The URA Centre, Yio Chu Kang Road, Singapore 069118 Singapore 809687 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] 94. Dr Nguyen Luu Boa Doan 86. Mr Andrew McConville Department of Urban Studies and Management, Head of Corporate Affairs (APAC), University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Syngenta Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, 10-12 Dinh Tien Hoang Q.1, No. 1 HarbourFront Ave., Ho Chi Minh City, #13-03 Keppel Bay Tower, Vietnam Singapore 098632 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] 95. Mr Wahyu Nugroho 87. Professor Mildred McLachlan Food Security Programme Manager, Food Security Initiative, Mercy Corps, University of Stellenbosch, Rua de Nu Laran, P.O. Box 19063, Bairo dos Grilhos, Dili, Tygerberg, Western Cape 7505, Timor-Leste South Africa Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
51 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances List of Participants
96. Ms Ong Siew Hwee 104. Dr Fabien Pouille Group Director of Finance, Administration and Emergency Planning, Senior Agronomist, International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, International Committee of the Red Cross, 230 Victoria Street, 19 Avenue de la paix, Level 10, Bugis Junction Office Tower, Geneva CH 1202, Singapore 188024 Switzerland Email: [email protected] Email: fpouil [email protected]
97. Mr Tin Htut Oo 105. Dr Andrew Powell Chief Executive Officer, Chief Executive Officer, Agribusiness and Rural Development Consultants (ARDC), Asia BioBusiness Pte Ltd / Centre for Risk Communication, Asia, FMI Centre, Level 5, Room 504-505, No. 3 Science Park Drive, No. 380, Bogyoke Aung San Road, # 02-12/25 Suite 37, 11181 Pabedan Township, The Franklin, Yangon, Singapore 118223 Myanmar Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] 106. Ms Quay Poh San 98. Mrs Pak Yong Hui Assistant Director, Conventions & Meetings, Project Assistant Singapore Tourism Board, EC-funded Food Security Office in DPR Korea, Tourism Court, 1 Orchard Spring Lane, Munsudong 34, Taedonggang District, Singapore 247729 Pyongyang, Email: [email protected] DPR Korea Email: [email protected] 107. Dr Handewi Purwati Rachman Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development, 99. Ms Amruta Paradkar Ministry of Agriculture, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Jl. A. Yani 70, B-10,Nutan Snehrashmi, Bogor, West Java 16161, Tekdi Bunglow, Panchpakhadi, Indonesia Thane (W) 400602, Mumbai, Email: [email protected] Maharashtra, India 108. Ms Qudsia Rafique Email: [email protected] Manager, Projects, Organization for Social Development Initiatives (OSDI), 100. Assistant Professor Vishal Parate 2nd Floor, Business Centre Mumtaz Hasan Road, Division of Food Technology, Karachi, Sind 74000, University Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT), Pakistan North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon, Email: [email protected] Post Box No. 80, Umavinager, Jalgaon 425001, Maharashtra, 109. Ms Rosario Ragaza India Fishery Technologist (Fish Processing), Email: [email protected] National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, 940 Kayumanggi Bldg, 101. Mr Pech Sithan Quezon Avenue, Research Coordinator, Quezon City 1103, The Learning Institute, Philippines #1752, National Road 5, Email: [email protected] Charang Chamres II, Russey Keo +855, Phnom Penh, 110. Ms Carmen Nyhria Rogel Cambodia Project Development Specialist, Email: [email protected]; [email protected] Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), 102. Ms Poh Bee Ling College, Los Banos, Assistant Director Laguna 4031, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA), Philippines 5 Maxwell Road #03-00, Email: [email protected] Tower Block, MND Complex Singapore 069110 111. Ms Gielenny Salem Email: [email protected] Research Chemist, National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, 103. Mrs Norma Pongan 940 Kayumanggi Bldg., Programme Manager, Quezon Avenue, Save the Children, Quezon City 1103, No.1 Encarnacion cor Lapulapu Sts, Philippines Magallanes Village, Email: [email protected] Makati City 1232, National Capital Region, Philippines Email: [email protected]
52 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances List of Participants
112. Mr Jose Nelson Salsinha 120. Ms Yenny Y.H. Sng Dean of Agriculture Faculty, Lecturer, Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e ITE College East, Avenida Cidade de Lisboa +670, 10 Simei Avenue, Dili, Timor-Leste, Singapore 486047 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
113. Professor Meenu Saraf 121. Ms Sok Sorphoarn Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Gender Research Officer, University School of Sciences, The Learning Institute, Gujarat University, #10X, Block C, Street 271, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380009, Toeuk Laak III, Toul Kork, India Phnom Penh, Email: [email protected] Cambodia Email: [email protected] 114. Dr Rosalia Scortino International Development Research Centre (IDRC), 122. Ms Soo Li Mei, Johannah 22 Cross Street 02-55, Lecturer, South Bridge Court, Nanyang Technological University / National Institute of Education, Singapore 048421 1 Nanyang Walk, Email: [email protected] NIE 7-03-106, Singapore 637616 115. Mr James Shikwati Email: [email protected] Director, Inter Region Economic Network (IREN), 123. Mr V. Subramanian P.O. Box 135, Managing Editor, Nairobi, Nairobi County 00100, International Rice Research Institute, Kenya The Rice Trader / Rice Today, Email: [email protected] Blk 455 Sin Ming Ave #08-491, Singapore 570455 116. Ms Tara Shyam Email: vsubra66@gmail .com, [email protected] Development Officer, International Rice Research Institute Fund Ltd, 124. Mrs Sonny Tababa 29 Heng Mui Keng Terrace, CropLife Asia, Blk A, #06-01, 150 Cantonment Road, Singapore 119620 Block 01-17, Email: [email protected] Singapore 089762 Email: [email protected] 117. Mr Aasim Siddiqui Founder Trustee, 125. Mr Cavan Tan Organization for Social Development Initiatives (OSDI), Assistant Head, 2nd Floor, Business Centre, Economic Development Board (EDB), Mumtaz Hasan Road, 250 North Bridge Road #28-00, Karachi, Sind 74000, Raffles City Tower, Pakistan Singapore 179101 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
118. Ms Sim Phei Sunn 126. Dr Tan Lee Kim Senior Strategist, Director, Planning & Organisational Excellence, Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA), 100 High Street #04-03, 5 Maxwell Road #03-00, The Treasury, Tower Block, MND Complex Singapore 179434 Singapore 069110 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
119. Dr Hermanto Siregar 127. Mr Tan Eng Soon Professor of Economics; and Managing Director, Vice Director for Resources and Development, Agricultural Chemicals (M) Sdn Bhd, Bogor Agricultural University, 962 Lorong Perusahaan 8, Indonesia Taman Perindustrian Perai, Email: [email protected] 13600 Penang, Malaysia Email: [email protected]
53 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances List of Participants
128. Mrs Tan-Low Lai Kim 136. Mr Roderick Valones Director (Food Supply Resilience Department), Livelihoods Advisor, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA), Save the Children (Philippines), 5 Maxwell Road #03-00, #1 Encarnacion St. Corner Lapu-lapu Avenue, Tower Block, MND Complex Magallanes Village, Singapore 069110 Makati 1232, Email: [email protected] Metro Manila, Philippines Email: [email protected] 129. Dr Tee E-Siong President, 137. Mr Reivin Vinarao TES Nutrihealth Strategic Consultancy, Ecologist, Nutrition Society of Malaysia, National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, 46, Jalan SS22/32, 940 Kayumanggi Bldg, Petaling Jaya 47400, Selangor, Quezon Avenue, Malaysia Quezon City 1103, Email: [email protected] Philippines Email: [email protected] 130. Ms Constance Teo Executive, Strategic Development, 138. Mr Bruno Vindel Keppel Communications Pte Ltd, Charge de mission, 7 Gul Circle, Agence Francaise de Developpement, Singapore 629563 5 rue Roland Barthes, Email: [email protected] 75598 Paris, France 131. Mr Teoh Keng Ngee Email: [email protected] International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) Southeast Asia Region, 9 Mohamed Sultan Road #02-01, 139. Dr Detlef Virchow Singapore 238959 Executive Manager, Email: [email protected] Food Security Center (FSC), University of Hohenheim, 132. Professor Alan Teramura Wollgras Weg 43, Stuttgart, Professor, Baden-Wuerttemberg D-70593, University of Hawaii, Germany 254 Lumahai Place, Email: [email protected] Honolulu, Hawaii 96825, USA 140. Professor Wang Jinxia Email: [email protected] Professor, Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy, 133. Ms Thia Xiu Wen Chinese Academy of Sciences, Manager No. Jia 11, Datun Road, International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, Anwai 100101, Beijing, 230 Victoria Street, China Level 10, Bugis Junction Office Tower, Email: [email protected] Singapore 188024 Email: [email protected] 141. Mr Wang Kok Liang Assistant Manager, 134. Associate Professor Robert Tiong Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA), Associate Professor, 5 Maxwell Road #03-00, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), Tower Block, MND Complex Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 069110 Blk N1, Nanyang Drive, Email: [email protected] Singapore 639798 Email: [email protected] 142. Dr Katinka Weinberger Director, 135. Mr Joey Trillana Centre for Alleviation of Poverty through Sustainable Vice President – Sales and Marketing Agriculture (UNCAPSA), C.B. Andrew Asia, Inc., Jalan Merdeka 145, Bldg. Y-1, JY & Sons Compound, Bogor Java Barat 16111, PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate, Indonesia Taguig City 1630, Email: [email protected] Manila, Philippines Email: [email protected] 143. Dr Fred Weirowski Aquaculture & Fisheries Consultancies, AQCON Pte Ltd, 20 Cecil Street 14-01, Equity Plaza, Singapore 049705 Email: [email protected]
54 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances List of Participants
144. Mr Thijs Wissink 151. Professor Zha Daojiong Independent Agriculture, Food Security and Trade Consultant, Visiting Senior Fellow and Advisor to the Energy and 43 rue de Turenne, Human Security Programme, Centre for Non-Traditional 75003 Paris, Security (NTS) Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International France Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University; and Email: [email protected] Professor, Peking University, 5 Yiheyuan Road 100871, 145. Mr Wolf Horst-Helmut Beijing, Technical Advisor, China EC-funded Food Security Office, Email: [email protected] Munsudong 34, Taedonggang District, Pyongyang, 152. Mr Zhang Hongzhou DPR Korea Research Analyst, Email: [email protected] S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), 2 Yunnan Walk 1, 146. Mr Eugene Wong Singapore 638133 Senior Assistant Director, Email: [email protected] Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), 100 High Street #04-04, The Treasury, 153. Ms Franziska Zimmerman Singapore 179434 Manager, Public Policy and Partnerships, Email: [email protected] Syngenta Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, No.1 HarbourFront Ave 1, 147. Ms Justina Wong #13-03 Keppel Bay Tower, Associate, Singapore 098632 Chemonics International Inc., Email: [email protected] 2009 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009, RSIS ORGANISING COMMITTEE FOR ICAFS 2011 USA Email: [email protected] 1. Ms Janice Chen Secretary to Dean, 148. Dr Yeo Lay Hwee Office of Graduate Studies and Professional Learning, Director, National Institute of Education, EU Centre in Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, 11 Slim Barracks Rise (off North Buona Vista Road), Block 7 Level 3, 1 Nanyang Walk, #06-01 Executive Centre, Singapore 637616 (NTU@one-north campus), Telephone: +65 6790-3869 Singapore 138664 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] 2. Associate Professor Ralf Emmers 149. Dr Elinir Young Acting Head, Director, Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, Welsh Institute for Natural Resources, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Bangor University, Wales, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, #8 Adeilad Alun Roberts, Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Ffordd Deiniol, Nanyang Technological University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, Singapore 639798 United Kingdom Telephone: +65 6791-4340 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
150. Professor Manfred Zeller 3. Dr Margarita Escaler Director, Research Fellow, Food Security Center, National Institute of Education (NIE), University of Hohenheim, Nanyang Technological University, Wollgrasweg 43, 1 Nanyang Walk, Stuttgart BW 70599, Singapore 637616 Germany Telephone: +65 6790-3888 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
55 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances List of Participants
4. Dr J. Jackson Ewing 10. Mr Cheong Kam Keong Research Fellow; and Coordinator of the Environmental Security Senior Accountant, and Climate Change and Food Security Programmes, Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, Nanyang Technological University, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Singapore 639798 Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Telephone: +65 6790-6981 Nanyang Technological University, Email: [email protected] Singapore 639798 Telephone: +65 6592-2531 11. Ambassador Barry Desker Email: [email protected] Dean, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), 5. Ms Cheryl Lim Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Programme Manager, Nanyang Technological University, Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, Singapore 639798 S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Telephone: +65 6790-6907 Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Email: [email protected] Nanyang Technological University Singapore 639798 12. Mr Ben Ng Telephone: +65 6592 7521 Senior Administrative Officer, Email: [email protected] Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Nanyang Technological University, 6. Ng Lye Loke, Josephine Singapore 639798 Senior Administrative Officer, Telephone: +65 6790-6977 Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, Email: [email protected] S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, RSIS CENTRE FOR NTS STUDIES Nanyang Technological University, Website: www.rsis.edu.sg/nts; Singapore 639798 Secretariat of the Consortium of Non-Traditional Telephone: +65 6790 5889 Security Studies in Asia: www.rsis-ntsasia.org Email: [email protected] Faculty 7. Ms Ong Suan Ee Research Analyst, in alphabetical sequence according to last names Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), 1. Dr Bill Durodie Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Senior Fellow, Nanyang Technological University, Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, Singapore 639798 S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Telephone: +65 6513 2036 Nanyang Technological University, Email: [email protected] Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 8. Professor Paul Teng Telephone: +65 6513-8060 Senior Fellow and Advisor to the Food Security Programme, Email: [email protected] Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS); and 2. Mr Yang Razali Kassim Dean, Graduate Programmes and Research, National Senior Fellow, Institute of Education, Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, Nanyang Technological University, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Technological University, Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 Nanyang Technological University, Telephone: +65 6790 3868 Singapore 639798 Email: [email protected] Telephone: +65 6790-6817 Email: [email protected] RSIS 3. Dr Jochen Prantl 9. Ms Mani Amudha Visiting Senior Fellow; and Advisor to the Energy and Human Finance Executive, Security Programme, Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, Nanyang Technological University, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Singapore 639798 Nanyang Technological University, Telephone: +65 6790-5979 Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Email: [email protected] Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 Telephone: +65 6592-7720 Email: [email protected]
56 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances List of Participants
Research and Operations Staff 10. Ms Catherine Jones Intern; and Phd Candidate, University of Reading, in alphabetical sequence according to last names Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), 4. Ms Regina Arokiasamy Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Secretary to Head, Nanyang Technological University, Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, Singapore 639798 S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Telephone: +65 6790-5889 Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Email: [email protected] Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 11. Ms Manpavan Kaur Telephone: +65 6790 6053 Research Analyst, Email: [email protected] Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), 5. Mr Harrison Cheng Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Intern, Nanyang Technological University, Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, Singapore 639798 S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Telephone: +65 6513-2037 Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Email: [email protected] Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 12. Ms Ong Suet Yen Email: [email protected] Copyeditor, Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, 6. Dr Alistair D.B. Cook S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Research Fellow and Coordinator of the Internal and Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Cross-Border Conflict Programme, Nanyang Technological University, Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, Singapore 639798 S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Telephone: +65 6316-8785 Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Email: [email protected] Nanyang Technological University Singapore 639798 13. Mr Steven Poh Telephone: +65 6790 6053 Senior Webmaster, Email: [email protected] Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), 7. Ms Lina Gong Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Research Analyst, Nanyang Technological University, Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, Singapore 639798 S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Telephone: +65 6592-7522 Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Email: [email protected] Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 14. Ms Sally Trethewie Telephone: +65 6592-1817 Senior Analyst, Email: [email protected] Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), 8. Mr Pau Khan Khup Hangzo Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Associate Research Fellow Nanyang Technological University, Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, Singapore 639798 S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Telephone: +65 6316-8782 Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Email: [email protected] Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 Telephone: +65 6513- 2035 Email: [email protected]
9. Ms Sofiah Jamil Associate Research Fellow, Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Block S4, Level B4, Nanyang Avenue, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 Telephone: +65 6513-2037 Email: [email protected]
57 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances About the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)
About the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)
The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Our Core Programs Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) was established in 1966 by the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization 1) Graduate Scholarship (SEAMEO) primarily to ‘provide high-quality graduate education and training in agriculture to member countries; promote, SEARCA’s Graduate Scholarship Program continues to develop undertake, and coordinate research programs related to the a strong cadre of agriculture professionals in the region through needs and problems in agriculture in the region; and disseminate more graduate scholarships and grants for student and faculty the findings of agricultural research and experimentation’. exchanges, thesis research and professorial chairs. SEARCA is also the secretariat of the Southeast Asian University Consortium At present, SEARCA focuses its plans and efforts on the ultimate for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources. goal of bringing about sustainable agricultural and rural development to reduce rural poverty and ensure food security. 2) Research and Development
Our Vision SEARCA spearheads research initiatives to recommend policy directions that would lead to a highly viable agriculture A leading enabler in the science and practice of agriculture and sector while addressing pressing and emergent environmental rural development in Southeast Asia concerns. It also conducts policy roundtables, conferences and workshops to address contemporary concerns. Our Mission 3) Knowledge Management We are committed to building the capacities of Southeast Asian institutions, working toward agricultural and rural development The Center promotes a learning culture in the region that applies through graduate scholarship, R&D, and knowledge science-based analyses which in turn lead to the creation of management. new knowledge. It does this through learning forums, training, seminars, virtual knowledge centers, a semi-annual journal, and Our Current Priority Themes other publications as well as materials made available online.
1) Natural Resource Management Cross-cutting Activities • Management of land and water resources • Biodiversity management for food security SEARCA also implements support activities that cuts across its • Risk assessment and the impacts of climate change core programs. These include: on agro-biodiversity • Seed Fund for Research and Training • Travel Grants 2) Agricultural Competitiveness • Dioscoro L. Umali Achievement Award in • Resource access and rural economic growth Agricultural Development • Agricultural policies and trade regimes • Project Development and Management • Agricultural support services • Fellowship Programs (Adjunct Fellows, Visiting Research Fellows, Senior Fellows)
More information on SEARCA’s programs and activities are available at www.searca.org.
58 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances About the RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies
About the RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies
The RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies 5) Health and Human Security Programme conducts research and produces policy-relevant analyses aimed • Health and Human Security at furthering awareness and building capacity to address NTS • Global Health Governance issues and challenges in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. • Pandemic Preparedness and Global Response Networks
To fulfil this mission, the Centre aims to: The first three programmes received a boost from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation when the RSIS Centre • Advance the understanding of NTS issues and challenges in for NTS Studies was selected as one of three core institutions the Asia-Pacific by highlighting gaps in knowledge and to lead the MacArthur Asia Security Initiative* in 2009. policy, and identifying best practices among state and non- state actors in responding to these challenges. Our Output • Provide a platform for scholars and policymakers within and outside Asia to discuss and analyse NTS issues in the region. Policy Relevant Publications • Network with institutions and organisations worldwide to The RSIS Centre for NTS Studies produces a range of output exchange information, insights and experiences in the area of NTS. such as research reports, books, monographs, policy briefs and • Engage policymakers on the importance of NTS in guiding conference proceedings. political responses to NTS emergencies and develop strategies to mitigate the risks to state and human security. Training • Contribute to building the institutional capacity of Based in RSIS, which has an excellent record of post-graduate governments, and regional and international organisations teaching, an international faculty, and an extensive network to respond to NTS challenges. of policy institutes worldwide, the Centre is well-placed to develop robust research capabilities, conduct training courses Our Research and facilitate advanced education on NTS. These are aimed The key programmes at the RSIS Centre for NTS Studies include: at, but not limited to, academics, analysts, policymakers and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). 1) Internal and Cross-Border Conflict Programme • Dynamics of Internal Conflicts Networking and Outreach • Multi-level and Multilateral Approaches to Internal Conflict The Centre serves as a networking hub for researchers, policy • Responsibility to Protect (RtoP) in Asia analysts, policymakers, NGOs and media from across Asia and • Peacebuilding farther afield interested in NTS issues and challenges.
2) Climate Change, Environmental Security and Natural The RSIS Centre for NTS Studies is also the Secretariat of the Disasters Programme Consortium of Non-Traditional Security Studies in Asia (NTS- • Mitigation and Adaptation Policy Studies Asia), which brings together 20 research institutes and think • The Politics and Diplomacy of Climate Change tanks from across Asia, and strives to develop the process of networking, consolidate existing research on NTS-related 3) Energy and Human Security Programme issues, and mainstream NTS studies in Asia. • Security and Safety of Energy Infrastructure • Stability of Energy Markets More information on our Centre is available at www.rsis.edu.sg/nts • Energy Sustainability • Nuclear Energy and Security * The Asia Security Initiative was launched by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in January 2009, 4) Food Security Programme through which approximately US$68 million in grants will • Regional Cooperation be made to policy research institutions over seven years to • Food Security Indicators help raise the effectiveness of international cooperation in • Food Production and Human Security preventing conflict and promoting peace and security in Asia.
59 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances About the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University
About the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University
The S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) was region. It produces cutting-edge security related research in inaugurated on 1 January 2007 as an autonomous School within Asia-Pacific Security, Conflict and Non-Traditional Security, the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), upgraded from its International Political Economy, and Country and Area Studies. previous incarnation as the Institute of Defence and Strategic The School’s activities are aimed at assisting policymakers to Studies (IDSS), which was established in 1996. develop comprehensive approaches to strategic thinking on issues related to security and stability in the Asia-Pacific and The School exists to develop a community of scholars and their implications for Singapore. policy analysts at the forefront of Asia-Pacific security studies and international affairs. Its three core functions are research, For more information about RSIS, please visit www.rsis.edu.sg graduate teaching and networking activities in the Asia-Pacific
60 International Conference on Asian Food Security 2011 - Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban-Rural Alliances Feeding Asia in the 21st Century: Building Urban – Rural Alliances 10-12 August 2011
Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Nanyang Technological University, South Spine, Blk S4, Level B4 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 Tel. (65) 6790 6982 • Fax. (65) 6898 4060 • Email. [email protected]
www.rsis.edu.sg/nts • www.rsis-ntsasia.org • www.asicluster3.com