The Role of the Regions to Improve Food

Security Governance: ASEAN’s Perspectives

By Suriyan Vichitlekarn

Asst. Director/Head Agriculture Industries and Natural Resources Division

ASEAN Secretariat

Food Security Governance Workshop 5-6 December 2011, Rome

One Vision, One Identity, One Community

Governance in Food Security

³ General common understanding ô Governance exists at various levels either good or bad ô Food Security is outcome not sector. ô Addressing food security is happening in any forms of

governance ô A generic governance framework assists in analysis and

integrating governance in food security interventions ô Governance is contextual (geographically and levels),

considering stakeholders and their inter-linkages, rules/norms, etc.

ô General acceptance that good governance can ensure better achievement of food security objectives

One Vision, One Identity, One Community 2

Governance in Food Security

³ General common understanding ô Governance at the national level is critical and the basis

for long-term food security.

One Vision, One Identity, One Community 3

Governance in Food Security

³ Questions ô What kind of approaches/supports can improve

governance in food security at various levels? How to monitor and measure success?

ô How to ensure synergies and complimentarity at various levels?

ô Can regions like ASEAN provide an intermediary platform for improving governance between global and national levels?

One Vision, One Identity, One Community 4

ASEAN

³ Established in 1967 ³ 10 Member States in Southeast Asia, Timor Leste is

working on its 11th membership ³ With ASEAN Charter entered-into-force in 2009,

ASEAN is a rule-based inter-governmental organisation

³ Working towards realisation of an ASEAN Community, comprising Economic, Political & Security and Socio-Cultural Pillars

³ Food security is an integral part One Vision, One Identity, One Community 5

Food Security in ASEAN ³  Food security – a long standing agenda both

in ASEAN Community building and external ASEAN relations (ASEAN Plus)

³  Food security – a dynamic and cross-sectoral issue of which the context evolves through time. ô  Population growth and change of food

consumption patterns ô  Food-Fuel-Financial crises ô  2007/08 & 2010/11 soaring food prices ô  Impacts of climate change, including extreme

climate events i.e. floods and droughts, natural disasters, large-scale pest outbreaks

ô  Irregular volatility of food commodity prices One Vision, One Identity, One Community 6

One Vision, One Identity, One Community 7

AIFS Framework and SPA-FS

³ The 14th ASEAN Summit, March 2009, Thailand ô Pledged to embrace food security as

high priority policy, and review ASEAN’s commitment to the objectives of World Food Summit and the MDGs.

ô Adopted the ASEAN Integrated Food Security (AIFS) Framework and Strategic Plan of Action on Food Security in ASEAN (SPA-FS) (2009-2013).

One Vision, One Identity, One Community 8

AIFS Framework and SPA-FS

³ “Food security” exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. (World Food Summit, 1996)

One Vision, One Identity, One Community 9

AIFS Framework and SPA-FS

Goal: To ensure long-term food security and to improve the livelihoods of farmers in the ASEAN region.

ASEAN Integrated Food Security (AIFS)

Component 1: Food Security Emergency/Shortage Relief

Strategic Thrust 1: Strengthen Food Security Arrangements

Component 3: Integrated Food Security Information System

Strategic Thrust 3: Strengthen Integrated Food Security Information Systems

Component 4: Agri-Innovation Strategic Thrusts 4: Promote Sustainable Food Production Strategic Thrusts 5: Encourage Greater Investment in Food and Agro-based Industry Strategic Thrusts 6: Identify and Address Emerging Issues (i.e. Bio-energy, impacts of Climate Change) Related to Food Security

Component 2: Sustainable Food Trade Development

Strategic Thrust 2: Promote Conducive Food Market and Trade

One Vision, One Identity, One Community 10

AIFS Framework and SPA-FS

³ Implementation, coordination and monitoring ô ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) in

coordination with other relevant ASEAN Sectoral Bodies ô Consultations with stakeholders (i.e. private sector, civil

society) at regional and national levels to obtain relevant inputs and cooperation and promote greater ownership

ô Partnership and cooperation with dialogue partners, international organizations and donor agencies (i.e. ADB, FAO, IFAD, IRRI, World Bank, USAID, EU)

Issues & Challenges

³ ASEAN – a food surplus region but with seasonal and spatial food insecurity in certain countries/areas

³ Food security and ASEAN Community building – a complementary approach

³ AIFS Framework and SPA-FS – a regional platform for coordination and cooperation ô National, sub-national, regional and greater ASEAN levels

(inter-regional???) ô  Inter-sectoral – poverty alleviation, trade & investment,

health ô Need for a strong coordinating agency

One Vision, One Identity, One Community 11

Discussion

³ Governance and supports at different levels ô National – fundamental ô Regional – facilitating, focused on regional priorities/

context, platform for mainstreaming, sharing and linking national & global, linking specific opportunities and comparative advantages, externalities

ô Global – Principles & norms, supporting public goods and assistance (countries, regional, inter-regional), advocacy and monitoring

One Vision, One Identity, One Community 12

Thank you

One Vision, One Identity, One Community 13

Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and

food preferences for an active and healthy life. (World Food Summit, 1996 and adopted by AIFS Framework, 2009)