Asia-Pacific has long had concerns about food security, food safety, and sustainable agriculture development. As the region struggles to overcome the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemics, APEC is advancing actions that ensure people are not hungry, well nourished, and take care of the environment.
“Despite having various individual food systems, member economies are confronted with similar vulnerabilities, and this is why collaboration will be the key in our efforts to strengthen food security in APEC,” said Chantanon Wannakejohn, Chair of the APEC Policy Partnership on Food Security.
“There is a need for us to improve both the quality and the quantity of our food production, this also includes improving the way we trade our food products with each other,” he added. “While we look for ways to grow and increase our production, we need to decrease the environmental impact of food value chains and support good environmental outcomes.”
“APEC should have a role in addressing some of the key food security challenges as we are, collectively, significant food producers and consumers.”
Sustainability has become the main focus area as APEC officials advance the region’s vision to restore growth that is strong, balanced, secure, sustainable and inclusive, including ensuring food security and safety.
Last year, Agriculture and food ministersLaunching a new 10-year roadmap for food security, the APEC leaders reaffirmed and reaffirmed that they are committed to an open, transparent APEC food system.
This year, the Policy Partnership on Food SecurityWe will work together to develop concrete actions to implement the APEC Food Safety Roadmap 2030.
Member economies have sought wider adoption of global data standards in order to improve transparency and efficiency of food value chain chains. A review is scheduled for 2025 to take advantage of the rapid development of digital technology.
“Digitalization and other innovative technology provide us with opportunities to strengthen food security by enhancing productivity, minimizing food loss and waste, dealing with climate change and natural disasters, as well as facilitating food waste,” Chantanon added.
Members will explore domestic programs and schemes that encourage innovative products and solutions as well as research into emerging technologies like smart agriculture.
Public-private partnership will also play a key role in supporting members’ individual and collective efforts to minimize the food system’s harmful impact on the environment. To reduce food loss and waste, economies are seeking to increase public-private investment in infrastructure.
“We strongly believe that the future of food security and economic growth will depend on how we can foster growth in parallel with creating the balance in our economy, social and environment front,” Chantanon added. “This is also in line with the theme and priorities of APEC Thailand 2022.”
Thailand has highlighted the economic model of biocircular-green (BCG), which it uses to generate its own income. One of its priorities for this year. Agriculture and the food industry are two of the main focus industries. The goal of these industries is to diversify products and migrate low-value commodities to higher-value products.
The Food Security Ministerial Meeting was scheduled to take place in August of this year.