Vietnam delegation at the PPFS meeting in Nha Trang (Source: VNA)According to the United Nations, the number of people deprivedof food exceeded 1 billion in 2009 for the first time.
In the context that the world population is predicted toincrease to 9.6 billion in 2050 from 7.2 billion currently, global food output mustrise by 70 percent. It will pose a big challenge in ensuring food security forthe globe, including the APEC economies which make up around 40 percent of theworld population.
The problem is even tougher for APEC as the Asia-Pacificregion is prone to frequent natural disasters. Statistics show that the regionsuffers 70 percent of natural disasters and 90 percent of earthquakes .
Climate change, water shortage and urbanisation are alsohindering agricultural production in the region.
Being aware of this challenge, APEC ministers in charge offood security gathered for the first time in Niigata, Japan, in October 2010,during which the Niigata Declaration on Food Security was approved, making itAPEC’s first comprehensive plan to intensify efforts to ensure sustainable foodsecurity in the region.
The declaration stressed the importance of APEC in improvingfood security of the region and the globe, while pinpointing sustainable agricultureas one of the two goals for the member economies, besides facilitatinginvestment and trade.
After the success of the first APEC Ministerial Meeting onFood Security (AMMFS) in Niigata, it has been held biennially. At each meeting,participating ministers approved new action plans on food security. Notably,within the frame work of the APEC Year 2014 in China, APEC officials adoptedthe APEC Food Security Roadmap towards 2020, in which the long-term goal was theattainment of a regional food system structure that can ensure lasting foodsecurity for APEC member economies as well as enhance food supply efficiencyand provide more affordable food for low income consumers.
Additionally, in 2011, the APEC Policy Partnership on FoodSecurity (PPFS) was established to strengthen public-private cooperation toaddress food security issues in the region.
In 2017, as the host of the APEC Year, Vietnam chooses foodsecurity and sustainable agriculture adaptive to climate change as one of thefour prioritised topics.
At the PPFS meeting held in Nha Trang city of Khanh Hoaprovince in February, the country proposed three initiatives: Action plan forthe APEC Strategic Framework on Rural-Urban Development to Strengthen FoodSecurity and Quality Growth; Action plan for the APEC Programme on FoodSecurity and Climate Change; and the Can Tho declaration on sustainable growthand food security in response to climate change.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)also put forth two suggestions focusing on the development of agribusiness tosupport the transformation of rural labours in APEC member economies, and theimpact of climate change adaptation on food security strategies.
These proposals have been applauded by participants of themeeting, said Tran Kim Long, Director of the MARD’s Department of InternationalCooperation, adding that they lay a foundation for upcoming APEC activities,particularly a high-level policy dialogue on food security and sustainableagriculture slated for August in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho.-VNA
VNA
