In response to the global coronavirus pandemic, the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), will co-host a series of public forums – 'ASEAN on Point' - to address issues of importance to the advancement of ASEAN. The forums will provide a platform to bring together representatives of diverse stakeholders to share knowledge on the latest research and insights on relevant topics on post-pandemic recovery in order to inform the policy discourse. It is hoped that the insights and recommendations from the forums can contribute to different sectoral work in ASEAN towards recovery. The vision of these Forums is to 'Build Back Better' so that the region's recovery policies result in a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable region.
The award of the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize to the UN's World Food Programme highlighted a serious problem facing the planet: availability of food. Southeast Asia is by no means immune to hunger even though the region is a major producer of food.
Among the many adverse spill over impacts unfolding in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the threat of rising food insecurity associated with the economic lockdown measures and supply chain disruptions can be considered as one of the most critical. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Global Report 2020 on 'Food Crises' suggests that COVID-19 will reduce access to dietary energy and diversity, safe water, sanitation and healthcare, and contribute to high levels of malnutrition as a result. In the face of these challenges, achieving global food security requires a new approach that integrates not only all aspects of food production, but also the many complexities associated with food systems. However, the food system in Sri Lanka has already proven to be vulnerable and inefficient in coping with the crisis. Thus, the country is facing the dual challenge of mitigating the short- and medium-term impacts of COVID-19 as well as strengthening Sri Lanka's food systems in the long-term.
The recent announcements in Parliament to raise Singapore's food self-production level from the current 10% to 30% of total food needs by 2030, the "30 by 30" strategy, have raised some pertinent questions on capacity, investment and exportability.
Demand for food in Asia and the Pacific is increasing, but so are the challenges farmers face. These include shrinking natural resources, degrading environments, and declining labor availability in addition to climate change and disaster risks. This report examines how policymakers can invest in agriculture to help tackle these challenges and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2—ending hunger and malnutrition by 2030. It identifies the investments required in different subsectors to achieve food security in the region.
Agriculture in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) is characterised by food self sufficiency and dominated by small, family owned operations. Farmers sell surplus agricultural products left over after their own consumption to local markets to earn money, while agricultural exports other than the staple food of rice are produced mainly on plantations funded by investment from other countries. Thanks to diverse temperature zones and abundant precipitation, the Lao PDR is rich in land suitable for stable agricultural production. However, the current division of farmland into small plots makes it difficult to improve farming efficiency through mechanisation. Large scale farming is also difficult under the current scenario of farmland development. In the food processing sector, Lao companies produce items such as canned corn and processed coffee products. However, other products fail to reach the safety or quality standards required for export to developed countries. Since, in principle, products intended for consumption in developed countries must be produced at plants certified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) or the like, export opportunities in the Lao PDR are presently very limited. Although various agricultural products that could be used as materials for processed food products are grown, it is difficult to secure a massive stable supply of these in the absence of market functions for collecting products. Further, the presence of intermediaries and consignees in the supply chain has raised the cost of available products for a massive supply. These problems have become a bottleneck for the food processing sector in the Lao PDR.
Most African countries face such challenges as food-insecurity and malnutrition in their path towards economic development, leading to difficulties in income creation for a large share of the population. African governments have been working to deal with these challenges and improve food security. One area of focus is the agricultural sector, the mainstay of most countries in Africa. Agricultural productivity in Africa is yet insufficient to sustain the rapid expansion of urbanisation and population growth, resulting in food imports increasing at a rapid rate. The total grain import in Africa in terms of total grain consumption has increased today to more than 25% from about 5% in 1961. Food aid has also seen a 10% increase in the same amount of time. In 2016, the African Development Bank (AfDB) launched the Feed Africa: Strategy for Agricultural Transformation in Africa, 2016-2025 report to improve Africa's agricultural sector and achieve self-sufficiency as well as develop an improved value chain for export commodities. Target commodities included rice, wheat, cassava, maize, soybean, sorghum, millet, and the like. This strategy focuses on transforming the African agricultural sector to address these challenges and develop the regional economy.
The Singapore agri-food ecosystem is fast changing from one focused primarily on food security to one which also addresses a new economic sub-sector for export of processed food and "disruptive technologies". Recently there has been a marked convergence of various technologies including FoodTech, AgTech, FinTech and MedTech. In 2019, exciting initiatives were announced which included the development of a new 18 ha Agri-food Innovation Park (AFIP), a new food security strategy of 30% food self-sufficiency by 2030, the launch of the Enterprise Singapore backed Seeds Capital investment for several new AgriFoodTech Accelerators and the launch of the new Singapore Food Agency (SFA) under the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources (MEWR). All these have come at a time when there is an increasing number of new startups and commercial enterprises engaged in farming and food processing, including indoor plant factories growing a range of fruit and vegetables and land-based fish farms. How do all these developments compare with similar ecosystems in successful agri-food countries like the Netherlands? Building on a previous NTS INSIGHT on developing a successful urban food cluster, this INSIGHT will explore ways to successfully integrate the key elements such as research and development; retail and consumers; human resources and education; financing; and policy. It concludes with some foresighted insights on the future direction of the ecosystem.
It is evident that emerging technological innovations driven by the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) have the potential to overcome the structural weaknesses of the current agricultural systems and as such, to deliver a more productive, competitive and sustainable outcome, based on a more precise and resource-efficient approach. The expectations are high that smart farming will change agriculture positively, while bridging the gap between large and small-scale farmers, not only in developed countries but also in developing countries.
The principal Philippine development challenge is poverty. While some progress has been made, it remained high at 20 percent in 2018.1 In addition, poverty incidence is much higher in rural areas (36 percent) compared to the urban areas (13 percent).2 Among the basic sectors, farmers have the highest poverty rate. In 2015, the poverty incidence of farmers was at 34.3 percent, exceeding the national average of 21.6 percent.3 As such, any effort to address and reduce poverty in the Philippines must focus on rural areas and agriculture. The rural economy has been characterized for many years by the low income levels of agricultural workers, low levels of rural employment, lack of food security, weak agricultural competitiveness, and an overall high level of rural poverty. The sector employs more than a quarter (26 percent) of the workforce in the country.
This publication explains the evaluation and strategic investment priorities of the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the agriculture, natural resources, and rural development sector. It highlights sector performance, priority development constraints, government plans and strategy, other development partner support, and ADB's past experience and future sector strategy. The country partnership strategy of ADB is also discussed and updated as strategic developments and program changes occur. Other background information about the sector for ADB's investment and technical assistance operations are also provided.
PIDS serves as the Philippine government's primary socioeconomic policy think tank. It is ranked as one of the best think tanks in the world in the Global Go To Think Tank Index Report annually published by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program of the University of Pennsylvania. Since its establishment, PIDS has been engaged in the conduct of policy-oriented studies to assist policymakers in crafting development policies, plans, and programs that are based on sound research evidence. To carry out its mandate, the Institute maintains three basic programs: Research, Dissemination and Research Utilization, and Outreach.
This policy report proposes that community gardens have the potential to be a reliable basket that adds to Singapore's food supplies, focusing on leafy vegetables. This is given the availability of usable spaces for growing crops on public and private estates, rooftops, schools, organisations/institutional facilities, interim land, and industrial spaces. However, regulatory requirements for farmers to sell their produce are currently tailored for commercial farm establishments and thus conceivably too complex for individual community farmers. Moreover, productivity levels are low given community gardeners' limited time and investments in growing food. This report highlights how digital technologies can help transform food farming to address community farmers' "pain points", making it a more viable enterprise. It concludes with two recommendations: i) to encourage the formation of organised community clusters to navigate the complex regulatory requirements for selling food, and ii) to conduct digital-readiness assessments on community farmers' attitudes towards digital technology adoption.
Organic farming means a holistic application of agricultural land-use, hence, this study aimed to assess ecological and socio-economic aspects that show benefits of the strategy and achievements of organic farming in comparison to conventional farming in Darjeeling District, State of West Bengal, India and Kanagawa Prefecture/Kanto in Central Japan. The objective of this study has been empirically analysed on aspects of crop diversity, yield, income and sales prices in the two study regions, where 50 households each, i.e. in total 100 households were interviewed at farm-level. Therefore, the small sample size does not necessarily reflect the broad-scale of the use and benefit of organic farming in both regions. The problems faced in mountainous regions in terms of agriculture and livelihoods for small-scale farmers, which are most affected and dependant on their immediate environment, such as low yields, income and illegal felling leading to soil erosion and landslides, are analyzed. Furthermore, factors such as climate, soils, vegetation and relief equally play an important role for these farmers, in terms of land-use. To supplement and improve the income of farmers, local NGOs have introduced organic farming and high value organic cash crops such as ginger, tea, orange and cardamom and small income generating means (floriculture, apiary etc.). For non-certified and certified organic products the volume is given for India, while for Japan only certified organic production figures are given, as there are several definitions for organic in Japan. Hence, prior to the implementation of organic laws and standards, even reduced chemical input was sold as non-certified organic. Furthermore, the distribution and certification system of both countries are explained in detail, including interviews with distribution companies and cooperatives. Supportive observations from Kanagawa Prefecture and the Kanto region are helpful and practical suggestions for organic farmers in Darjeeling District. Most of these are simple and applicable soil management measures, natural insect repelling applications and describe the direct marketing system practiced in Japan. The former two include compost, intercropping, Effective Microorganisms (EM), clover, rice husk charcoal and wood vinegar. More supportive observations have been made at organic and biodynamic tea estates in Darjeeling District, which use citronella, neem, marigold, leguminous and soil binding plants for soil management and natural insect control. Due to the close ties between farmers and consumers in Japan, certification is often neither necessary nor wanted by the producers. They have built a confidence relationship with their customers; thus, such measures are simply not required. Another option is group certification, instead of the expensive individual certification. The former aims at lower costs for farmers who have formed a cooperative or a farmers' group. Consumer awareness for organic goods is another crucial aspect to help improve the situation of organic farmers. Awareness is slightly more advanced in Kanto than in Darjeeling District, as it is improved due to the close (sales) ties between farmers and consumers in Kanto. Interviews conducted with several such cooperatives and companies underline the positive system of TEIKEI. The introduction of organic farming in the study regions has shown positive effects for those involved, even though it still in its beginning stages in Darjeeling District. This study was only partly able to assess the benefits of organic agriculture at its present level for Darjeeling District, while more positively for the organic farmers of Kanto. The organic farming practice needs further improvement, encouragement and monitoring for the Darjeeling District farmers by locals, consumers, NGOs and politicians. The supportive observations from Kanagawa Prefecture and the Kanto region are a small step in this direction, showing how, simple soil improvements and thus, yield and income increases, as well as direct sales options can enhance the livelihood of organic farmers without destroying their environment and natural resources. ; Ökologischer Landbau hat einen ganzheitlichen Ansatz zur landwirtschaftlichen Nutzung. Daher hat diese Studie die ökologischen und sozio-ökonomischen Aspekte des ökologischen Landbaus analysiert, in Bezug auf dessen Strategien und Zielen im Vergleich zum konventionellem Landbau. Diese Untersuchung wurde in Darjeeling Distrikt, im Bundesstaat West Bengal, Indien und in der Kanagawa Präfektur/Kanto, Zentral Japans analysiert. Die empirische Analyse hat die Feldfruchtdiversität, den Ertrag, das Einkommen und die Verkaufspreise in beiden Untersuchungsgebieten untersucht. Hierfür wurden je 50 Haushalte auf Farmebene interviewt, d.h. insgesamt 100 Befragungen wurden durchgeführt. Bedingt durch die kleine Stichprobe, reflektieren die Ergebnisse nicht unbedingt die Breite Nutzung und die Vorteile des ökologischen Landbaus in beiden Untersuchungsgebieten. Gebirgsregionen, wie Darjeeling Distrikt, haben meist eine Vielzahl von Problemen, sowie: schwieriges Terrain, kleine und marginale Anbauflächen, Hangrutschungen und sogar politische Instabilität. Vom ökologischen Standpunkt aus betrachtet, sind die Probleme die die Region betreffen Bodendegradation und –erosion, die in niedrige Erträge münden. Diese wiederum beeinflussen den ökonomischen Aspekt, und führen daher zu niedrigem Einkommen. Obwohl das Einkommen als ökonomischer Indikator dient, reflektiert er auch die Lebensqualität des Bauern. Daher kann er auch als sozialer Indikator gesehen werden, wie auch die Verkaufpreise. Diese Studie leistet einen Beitrag zu anderen Himalajastudien zu nachhaltiger Entwicklung. Die meisten Studien in Darjeeling Distrikt bezogen sich auf die Tee – und Cinchonaindustrie, Monsun, Rutschungen und Böden. Nur wenige haben die ländliche Entwicklung im Zusammenhang mit der Unweltdegradation erforscht, jedoch nicht mit dem Schwerpunkt auf Kleinbauern. Diese Studie hat versucht den Staus Quo der Kleinbauern und der Landwirtschaft in Gebirgsregionen im Kontext der nachhaltigen Entwicklung und dessen Notwendigkeit in diesem fragilen Gebirgsökosystem hervorzuheben. Die Einführung beschäftigt sich mit den Problemen der Landwirtschaft und der "Livlihood" der Kleinbauern. Weitere Faktoren, wie Klima, Böden, Vegetation und Relief spielen eine ebenso wichtige Rolle für diese Bauern bezogen auf de Landnutzung. Das Verkaufssystem der ökologischen Produkte in Dajeeling Distrikt zeigt eindeutig, das selbst für diese Produkte der Verkauf über den Mittelsmann erfolgt und somit zu niedrigen Verkaufspreisen führt. Weiterhin muss das Konsumentenbewußtsein für ökologische Produkte erhöht werden. Daher wurden Vorschläge gemacht, die sich auf die unterstützenden Beobachtungen von Kanagawa Präfektur und der Kanto Region beziehen, bezüglich Direktverkauf von Produzent an Konsument, dem sog. TEIKEI System. Bezüglich der Zertifizierung, wie das Japanbeispiel verdeutlicht, ist diese für den lokalen Konsum und Verkauf nicht notwendig. Die meisten Biobauern aus Kanto sind nicht-zertifiziert und bevorzugen diesen Weg, da sie lieber ein Vertrauensverhältnis mit den Kunden eingehen. Falls Zertifizierung jedoch für Darjeeling Distrikt notwendig ist, dann ist die Gruppenzertifizierung eine sinnvolle Alternative zur Einzelzertifizierung. Gruppenzertifizierung wird vorerst noch von einigen wenigen Bauern praktiziert. Die unterstützenden Beobachtungen aus der Kanagawa Präfektur und der Kanto Region zeigen einige einfache anwendbare Methoden zur natürlichen Schädlingsbekämpfung und Bodenmanagementmethoden: Kompostierung, "Intercropping", "Effective Microorganisms (EM)", Klee, Reishülsenkohle und "Wood Vinegar". Zusätzliche Beobachtungen stammen von den ökologischen und biodynamischen Teeplantagen in Darjeeling Distrikt, welche ebenfalls einfache und kostenniedrige Bodenmanagement und natürliche Schädlingsbekämpfungspraktiken zeigen, wie "Citronella", "Neem", "Marigold", leguminose und bodenbindende Pflanzen.
After almost two decades, Golden Rice was approved last week by the Philippines authorities for use as food. This together with the approval of the bioengineered Bt eggplant represents a landmark victory of science over misinformation; it will provide consumers with improved nutrition (Golden Rice) and safer food (Bt eggplant).
