30
SEP 2017
FOOD FOCUSTHAILAND
SURF
THE AEC
Southeast Asia has been facing challenges on food security and nutrition. Based on
theStateof Food Insecurity in theWorld2015by theUnitedNationsFoodandAgriculture
Organization (FAO), despite the total number of undernourished people has fallen in the
past two years, over one in nine people in the world were still suffering from hunger. In
South-EasternAsia, thenumberofundernourishedpeoplehascontinued itssteadydecline
byabout 50percent over the last decadedue tooverall inclusivegrowth, withmoreof the
poor and vulnerable sharing the benefits.
Increasing affluence inASEAN accompanied by population growth puts pressure on
food demand and resources competition as well as change consumption patterns. High
and volatile food prices, impact of climate change on agriculture, and the conservation of
agricultural lands to industrial areas andmigrationof labour from rural tourbanareas are
also consideredas long-termpressures on food security and nutrition.
According to theUnitedNations, foodproductionwill need to increasebyat least 60%
over thenext 35years toprovide foodsecurity for the9billionpeopleexpected tobe living
on the planet increasing populations while protecting depleting natural resources at the
RegionalKnowledgeSharingConsultation “SustainableAgrifoodSystems forFoodSecurity
andSustainableDevelopment in theASEANRegion” held today inMay 2017.
Dr. Surmsuk Salakpetch, Deputy Director General of Department of Agriculture from
MinistryofAgricultureandCooperatives,Thailandsaidduring theopeningsession: “In the
aftermathof the2007/2008 foodpricecrisis, theASEANSummitof2009pledged toembrace
food security as a permanent and high priority…Since then, the concept of “Sustainable
AgrifoodSystems”hasbeen introducedand itsapproachhasbeen implemented inASEAN
region. This approach has also contributed to achievingSustainableDevelopment Goals
such as ending poverty, eliminating hunger, improving health and nutrition, reducing
environmental degradation, combatingclimatechangeandbuildingstrongpartnershipsat
national, regional and global level.”
Dr.Surmsukalsocited that: “ASEANsustainableagrifoodsystemsalso recognizes the
integration of local philosophy andwisdoms applied in various countries in the region, for
Thailand in particular, agriculture under H.M. King Bhumibol’s Sufficiency Economy
Philosophy.”
According to Dr. Matthias Bickel, Project Director of German-ASEAN Sustainable
AgrifoodSystems,DeutscheGesellschaft für InternationaleZusammenarbeit (GIZ)GmbH,
the termagrifoodsystems isgenerallycharacterizedbyproducingsafeandqualityagriculture
products for community and agro-ecosystems health, accessible and affordable to all
membersof society, supporting smallholder farmers’ livelihoodswhileensuring social and
environmental responsibility, adopting regionally appropriate agricultural practices, being
resilient todevelopment andclimatechange, andpromotingsharingof resources, benefits
and risks among the concerned stakeholders.
TheRegionalKnowledgeSharingConsultation “SustainableAgrifoodSystems forFood
Security and Sustainable Development in theASEANRegion” is providing a platform to
expertsandkeymulti-stakeholder actors includinggovernment, publicandprivatesectors
andcivil societyorganization toexchange theirexperiencesand lessons learnt, issuesand
challenges aswell as approaches of sustainable agrifood systems towards food security
in ‘ASEANSustainableAgrifoodSystems.
Recommendationsandpartnershipmechanism inshapingnational and regional policy
andstrategies for ‘SustainableAgrifoodSystems’ in theASEAN regionareexpectedasan
outcomeof thisconsultationmeeting, and theywill beusedaspart ofASEANSustainable
AgrifoodSystems project’sExecutiveReport to be submitted toASEANWorkingGroups
onCrops for the future consideration.
Thehigheramountof foodproductiondoesnotmeanacountryor regionhas food
security. The food security refers to a condition related to food safety, and
individual’s accessibility to food, while consumers can choose foods that are
nutritional and appropriate to their health.
ASEAN…toseekforresolutions
forcreatingsustainability
foodandagriculturalpolicies
forregionalfoodsecurity
