Regional Paper - Asia

Global Food Sufficiency: The Asian Perspective

Agriculture continues to contribute to the engine of growth for the economy of the countries of ASEAN. With rice being the common staple food for the people of ASEAN, the sector is closely linked to food security situation in the region.

Rice is also the most important crop to millions of small farmers who grow it on millions of hectares throughout the region, and to the many landless workers who derive income from working on these farms. At low levels of income, when meeting energy needs is a serious concern, people tend to eat coarse grains and root crops such as cassava and sweet potato. At that lowest stage of economic development, rice is considered a luxury commodity. With increasing income, demand shifts from coarse grains and root crops to rice. At high levels of income, rice becomes an inferior commodity, and consumers prefer diverse foods with more protein and vitamins, such as vegetables, bread, fish and meat

Call for Food Sufficiency for ASEAN

In this context, and in the light of the food crisis, food security requirements and the issues of climate change, sustainable , organic, ecological friendly agriculture becomes the key strategic response that governments may take, as also emphasized by the report of the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science, Technology Development (IAASTD), signed by 60 countries and the World Bank.

With food surpluses being traded at local, national, regional and international markets, trade agreements that should be entered by ASEAN should preserve member state's capacities to exempt sectors important to food security, livelihood security, rural development and poverty alleviation and ensure the benefit for smallholder producers; as well as provide sufficient safeguard measures and remedies.

We ask ASEAN governments, both at national and the regional level to promote sustainable agriculture by redirecting its agricultural investments, funding and policy focus. Specifically, we ask that ASEAN and their member governments to:

• develop a common agricultural policy and action plan that aims to improve access of small poor rural people to land, water and other natural resources, increase their productivity and incomes through sustainable, ecological-friendly agriculture for the benefit of small-scale men and women farmers, fishers and indigenous peoples. The policy and action plan can contain clear objectives, targets, timeframes, and can use participatory processes involving lead agencies and departments and organized groups of small scale men and women farmers, fishers and indigenous peoples. Corollary to this, establish a common agricultural development fund that will help carry out the action plan.
• emphasize the promotion of Sustainable agriculture in ASEAN's SPA-FS and AIFS framework. The development of this Plan can include workshops with various sectors to provide specific details to the SPA-FS.
• review / revise the ASEAN Rice Reserve/Food Reserve Scheme to help stabilize rice supply and prices in the region; since the true spirit of economic cooperation and integration should be reflected in the way ASEAN addresses the issue of food security in the region.
• regularly consult an advisory council composed of representatives of small-scale men and women agricultural producers (farmers, fishers, indigenous peoples) across the region on policies, programs and initiatives affecting, or has the potential to impact on agriculture.
• provide continuing processes and sustain mechanism that will strengthen social accountability towards realizing the vision for a people-centered ASEAN.

Solidarity with global action for food sufficiency

We, as civil society groups working for sustainable rural development, for the promotion of sustainable, ecological friendly agriculture, and the development of small scale men and women farmers, fishers and indigenous people can cooperate with global action for food sufficiency. We can share our own experiences and technical expertise. Furthermore, we can help study and monitor how much governments allocate for agricultural programs and services benefiting small scale men and women farmers, fishers and indigenous peoples.