Singapore Adopts Niigata Declaration On APEC Food Security
Mr Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National Development, attended the inaugural APEC Ministerial Meeting on Food Security from 15-17 October 2010 in Niigata, Japan.
At the meeting, Singapore, together with the other APEC economies, adopted the “Niigata Declaration on APEC Food Security”.
Under the declaration, the APEC economies agreed to collectively pursue the shared goals of:
- sustainable development of the agricultural sector
- facilitation of investment, trade and markets.
Sustainable development of the agricultural sector
The APEC economies agreed to take action to expand food supply capacity through increased agricultural productivity and reducing post-harvest losses, to enhance disaster preparedness, and to confront challenges in climate change and natural resource management.
These efforts will help the region to achieve a stable supply of food to meet increasing demand.
Facilitation of investment, trade and markets
As trade plays a key role in food security, the APEC economies agreed to facilitate trade in agricultural products under an open and WTO-consistent framework.
In addition, the APEC economies agreed to promote agricultural investment, to improve the agri-business environment and to ensure food safety in the region.
These efforts will provide people in the region with greater access to food and stabilise food prices.
Minister Mah Bow Tan pledged Singapore’s support for the Niigata Declaration on APEC Food Security.
He called on APEC member economies to remain committed to investing and developing technology to raise agricultural productivity to ensure food security for our people.
He cited Singapore’s Food Fund to help local food producers and importers raise productivity through R&D and technology and improve food supply resilience.
Minister Mah also urged APEC economies to maintain open, free and fair trade at all times to ensure that food is available to everyone.
He stressed the importance of ensuring the efficient functioning of the market mechanism, reducing market distortions, and promoting greater transparency by improving information flows on levels of food inventory, production and consumption.
Topics: 2010, agri business, agriculture, APEC, APEC Ministerial Meeting on Food Security, Asia, business, climate change, consumption, disaster preparedness, economic development, economic growth, Economy, employment, food independence, food safety, food security, food supply, Governance, government, investment, Japan, jobs, Mah Bow Tan, moniter, monitor, national development, natural resources, news, Niigata, Niigata Declaration on APEC Food Security, Pacific, productivity, Singapore, society, sustainability, sustainable development, trade, World Trade Organization, WTO
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