Singapore Highlights Role Of Private Sector To Ensure Food Security
Opening address by Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of National Development at the ASEAN Conference on Food Security: Role of the Private Sector on 16 June 2010 at the Holiday Inn Atrium, Singapore.
His Excellency Sundram Pushpanathan
Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN
Excellencies
Representatives from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen, A very good afternoon to all of you:
I am delighted to be here this afternoon for the opening of the “ASEAN Conference on Food Security: The Role of the Private Sector”. It is encouraging to see such a wide representation of participants from not just the public sector, but also the private sector, academia and other organizations to discuss and exchange views on the key topic of food security over the next two days.
Global Trends Affecting Food Security
Over time, food security has gained prominence and is fast becoming a global issue, similar to that of climate change. Many of us would remember the food supply crunch in 2008, which led to price hikes in various key food items including rice and meat. Some food exporting countries responded by imposing export restrictions, raising concerns amongst the food importing countries. Although international food prices have stabilized in recent months, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (or FAO) forecasts that food prices would remain well above the long term average throughout this decade.
With an expanding world population, the global demand for food will continue to rise. The key question is whether there is adequate supply to feed 9 billion people by 2050. Some studies have shown that the arable land area per capita is declining. The growing demand for agricultural produce would thus exert more pressure on our scarce agricultural resources. This trend is exacerbated by greater urbanisation, and as more people live and work in cities, there would be more competition for land and water between agriculture and other strategic urbanisation needs. There is hence a higher risk of production shortfalls.
Another key trend which impacts food security is climate change. Regardless of the sciences behind the causes of global warming, I believe we are in agreement of its impact on global food supply since food crops and livestock are highly sensitive to extreme weather conditions.
There was a report only last week that Thailand, the world’s largest rice exporter, is facing major losses to its next crop of rice due to the country’s worst drought in nearly two decades. To make matters worse, heavy rain is expected in the next few months, causing flash floods which could potentially wipe out the planted seedlings.
There is also a recent study which concluded that nearly 60 million people around the Himalayas would face food shortages in the coming decades as glaciers shrink and the water sources for crops dry up.
Against the backdrop of an expanding world population, urbanisation and climate change, we are faced with several challenges to ensure and enhance food security. Let me briefly elaborate on three key challenges.
Key Challenges
The first challenge is to increase agricultural investments to feed a growing population. The FAO has estimated that net investments in agriculture must top more than US$80 billion per year, or up by 50% from current levels, in order to meet the food demand of 9 billion people by 2050. Areas requiring investments include infrastructure, crops and livestock production, as well as downstream support services such as food processing, cold chains, storage facilities and market facilities.
Investments required for agricultural growth would need to come from both the private and public sectors. However, agri-business is not for those looking for quick returns. While governments may reallocate public spending and incentivise private sector investments in the agricultural sector, companies should also view their investment as a long-term proposition to help boost food supply.
The second key challenge is the need to develop sustainable agri-food systems as we enhance our agri-production capacity. How can governments and companies around the world increase food production in an environmentally sustainable manner? We are all too familiar with the wide-ranging environmental impact of increasing agricultural yields. For example, excessive fertiliser and pesticide use could pollute waterways; poor farming practices could deplete soil fertility and diminish biodiversity; while the use of chemicals and antibiotics in fish farming could result in product safety which is a key consumer concern.
Hence, it is not just about producing more to feed more people. It is also about doing so in an environmentally responsible way. The agri-food industry should develop new technologies to encourage sustainable agricultural practices. This entails investment in research and innovation throughout the entire food chain, with companies, research institutions and governments working in partnership to optimise the yield potential of crops and livestock, and ensure the wholesomeness of food products.
The third key challenge is to continue to promote free trade in food between the exporting and importing countries. The markets for food commodities are highly integrated. We should strive to avoid imposing protectionist measures as they can lead to volatile food prices and supply shortages, as was the experience two years ago. From a global perspective, it is important for countries to ensure a properly functioning global food market in order to boost the overall food supply.
ASEAN’s Response
In the ASEAN family, we have acknowledged the challenges of food security and responded with measures on sustainable food production and trade. The ASEAN Integrated Food Security (AIFS) Framework, which was adopted at the 14th ASEAN Summit in 2009, is supported by the Strategic Plan of Action on Food Security in ASEAN, to ensure long-term food security. With this plan, ASEAN aims to increase food production; reduce post-harvest losses; promote conducive market and trade for agriculture commodities and inputs; ensure food stability; promote availability and accessibility to agriculture inputs; and operationalise regional food emergency relief arrangements.
However, ASEAN governments cannot effectively achieve food security on our own. We would need to work with our strategic partners to augment our policy framework and measures on food security. As a case in point, in 2002, ASEAN started the ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS) project in collaboration with China, Japan and South Korea to strengthen food security in the region through the systematic collection, analysis and dissemination of food security related information. I am pleased to note that the project has just entered its second phase. The ASEAN Plus Three Roundtable on Food Security Cooperation Strategy, the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR), and co-operation with UN specialised bodies to achieve the objectives of the World Food Summit Plan of Action and the Millennium Development Goals are other platforms that ASEAN has leveraged on to enhance our food security strategies.
Equally important is the role of the private sector in ensuring food security in ASEAN. Through long-term investments in infrastructure and technology, the private sector has the ability to shape ASEAN’s agriculture sector, improve its productivity and provide jobs for our people. I hope this Conference will provide a useful platform for ideas and innovations to encourage more public-private partnerships to tackle the global issue of food security.
Singapore’s Experience
In Singapore, food security is of greater relevance as we import most of our food. We are particularly vulnerable to global food supply and price fluctuations. Hence, we have adopted the twin strategies of strengthening our food source diversification and developing strategic local agricultural sectors.
At the same time, in order to tackle the food security issue, Singapore recognises that the public sector cannot do so on its own. We need to involve the private sector to invest in production capacity, as well as in research and innovation. Through government facilitation, our companies have participated actively in overseas missions to explore trade opportunities and potential for contract farming at new sources; carried out networking and business matching with potential overseas investment partners; and studied new agricultural and food production technologies locally and overseas.
In addition, we have launched a Food Fund to support food diversification and food capability development to enhance Singapore’s food supply resilience. Response from the private sector has been good, with many companies submitting proposals on raising local farming capabilities, as well as exploratory projects to further our food diversification efforts.
Conclusion
Let me conclude by reiterating that food security is best addressed by greater and closer collaboration among different stakeholders in the agricultural value chain, which include the private and public sectors. To this end, I believe this Conference will facilitate a useful sharing and exchange of insights and ideas to achieve our common goal of ensuring food security for all.
I wish you a fruitful Conference ahead. Thank you.
Topics: 2010, AIFS, ASEAN, ASEAN Integrated Food Security Framework, economic development, economic growth, economic recovery, Economy, food, food independence, food insecurity, food security, Food Security: Role of the Private Sector, global hunger, Governance, government, hungry, Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, moniter, monitor, national development, politics, poor, poverty, private sector, public policy, recession, Singapore, society, United States
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