Policy Forum on the Need for ASEAN Regional Policies and Safeguards for

Sustainable Private Sector Agricultural Investments

UP NCPAG, PhilippinesOct 22, 2012

Seema Gaikwad, ILC Asia Coordinator, Philippines

Making ASEAN a community by 2015• Investments (Agriculture) in the region have

increased FDI increase 95.6 % 2010• 87 percent of the world’s 500 million small

scale farms (less than 2 ha) are in Asia• Instead of land acquisition how can we

develop a partnership between companies and communities, ensure equity share and mutually beneficial solutions

Africa Asia

Latin America

Regional cross-referenced dealsMillion ha

Source: Anseeuw, W., L. Alden Wily, L. Cotula, and M. Taylor. 2012. “Land Rights and the Rush for Land: Findings of the Global CommercialPressures on Land Research Project”. ILC, Rome

Intra-regional

Extra-regional

Source: Anseeuw, W., L. Alden Wily, L. Cotula, and M. Taylor. 2012. “Land Rights and the Rush for Land: Findings of the Global CommercialPressures on Land Research Project”. ILC, Rome

GHI combines three equally weighted indicators in one index: 1. Undernourishment: 2. Child underweight 3. Child mortality:)

Suggestions• Current regulatory regime: An Analysis to understand and reduce

regulatory gaps, of member countries• Regulatory regime will put in place two policy trajectories

Enabling and Restrictive : We need to propose a balance• How will we ensure that this regulatory mechanism is of high quality How would we ensure stakeholder engagements How do we ensure that the national standards and regulations,

implementation and monitoring are consistent How do we ensure that government (through) investors more

accountable and transparent in the social , economic, environment impact assessments

Issues of account equity and justice. What administrative machinery will be required to deal with this What capacity building will be required for enforcement and compliance

mechanisms

Suggestions• Asia Europe Meeting(ASEM) 8 & 9 outcomes

(intergovernmental and people’s forum)o Senior officials meetings on trade and investments o Asia Europe Business Forum (AEBF), aims to strengthen

economic co-operation between the business sectors of both regions.

o Asia – Europe Foundation: civil society concerns are included as a vital component of deliberations of the ASEM

o National and Regional Human Rights Mechanisms, 2011• Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) outcomes

(investment regimes)• ASEAN outcomes (intergovernmental and people’s forum)

Suggestions• Voluntary guidelines on good governance and

tenure security• The Eleven Principles: Minimum Human Rights

Principles Applicable to Large –Scale Land Acquisition & Leases; Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food

• Principles of Responsible Agriculture Investments that respects Rights, Livelihoods & Resources

• Enforcement and Compliance Mechanism World Bank and ADB

Thank you