AEC 2015 – Impact on Global and Regional Food Scenario: Strategic Rethinking to Ensure Food Security and Food Safety in the Marketplace

at World of Food Safety conference,

(21st – 23rd May 2014 in Bangkok, Thailand)

Hiroyuki Konuma

Assistant Director General and Regional Representative FAO Regional Office for the Asia & the Pacific

E-mail: Hiroyuki.konuma@fao.org

Food security, its current status and challenges

Food security and its link to food safety

AEC and its role in impacting global and regional food security with special reference to food safety

Current food safety challenges in meeting food safety requirements

Some FAO Activities/ initiatives towards food safety in the Region

Some future priorities for food security and food safety in the region

Outline/Coverage

Food security, its current status and challenges

Global food insecurity With increasing population, problems of food insecurity,

poverty & malnutrition gaining high significance Despite growth in food production, global food security not

achieved Undernourishment currently at 842 m (12% of global

population) 63 % or 529 m live in Asia Pacific (representing 11.8% of

population) In addition, ~ 2b (30%) suffer from micronutrient deficiencies

& 165 million children are stunted (26%) 1.4 billion adults are overweight, of which 500 m are obese Global food security is high on the agenda (international/

regional)

Undernourishment in Asia

Numbers (left axis) Prevalence (right axis)

Undernourishment Trends

FAO Vision

• Achieving food security for all is at the heart of FAO's efforts – to make sure people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives.

Food security: all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. [World Food Summit, 1996]

Food Security Food

Availability Domestic production Import capacity Food stocks Food aid

Food utilization Food safety Hygiene & GPs in food chain Diet quality & diversity: meeting energy, macro/ micro nutrients needs

Access (Phys & eco) Purchasing power Income of population Transport & market infrastructure

Food Security & its Pillars/ Dimensions & determinant factors of each pillar

Risk-based food controls incl labs

Stability (of supply & access) Weather variability Price fluctuations Political /eco factors

*FAO World Food Summit, 1996

All people, at all times, have physical, social & economic access to sufficient, safe & nutritious food to meet

Their dietary needs & food preferences for an active and healthy life*

Production

Population growth

Urbanization

Climate change

Food price hike and volatility

Water scarcity

Market infrastructure

Food consumption trends

Food losses and wastes

FOOD SAFETY

Challenges that Threaten Food Security

Globally, An Estimated 1.3 Billion Tons of Food is Lost or Wasted Every Year

Global Food Losses

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

cereals roots &tubers

oilseeds &pulses

fruits &vegetables

meat fish &seafood

dairyproducts

Consumption

Distribution

Processing

Postharvest

Agriculture

waste

Loss

Source: FAO 2011. Food Losses – extent, causes and prevention - FAO, Rome

Magnitude of Food Losses & Waste Across Regions

FAO 2011

95 115

6

80

11

• Food safety an integral part of food security

• Food safety contributes to food security & foods to be produced, processed & marketed safely

But how does food safety contribute to food security?

Food Security & its link to food safety

Contribution of Food Safety to Food Security

Improved safety & quality of food contributes to improved nutrition & health status of population thereby increasing productivity & livelihoods

Improved food safety practices along the food chain reduces food losses (pre and post harvest), resulting in increased food availability, stability, and utilization

Increasing national & international market access, increasing purchasing power & resulting in beneficial effects on farmers, food businesses & consumers

Improved food safety will reduce public health costs through a decrease in food borne illness among vulnerable populations & other cost implications such as destruction of food

AEC and its role in impacting global and regional food security with specific

reference to food safety

AEC and its role in shaping/ influencing food scenario

• AEC is focused towards providing its member countries access to safe foods and ensuring that foods exported to global and regional markets adhere to international standards

• The AEC 2015 has the objective of trade facilitation, removal of non-tariff barriers and improved procedures to promote the free movement of goods in the region thus making ASEAN Member States a single unit both as a single market and a production hub

• Thus ASEAN will play a major role in global and regional food scenario

AEC 2015 – Goals and aims • Single market and production base Free flow of goods, services, investments, capital, skilled labour Priority integration sectors Food, agriculture and forestry

• Competitive economic region Competition policy, Consumer protection, Intellectual Property

Rights, Infrastructure development, Taxation, E-commerce

• Equitable economic development SME development, Initiative for ASEAN integration

• Integration into the global economy Coherent approach towards external economic relations,

enhanced participation in global supply networks

ASCC 2015 – Goals and aims • Human Development

• Social Welfare and Protection

Enhancing food security and safety

Strategic objective: Ensure adequate access to food at all times for all ASEAN peoples and ensure food safety in ASEAN Member States.

• Social justice and rights

• Ensuring environmental sustainability

• Building ASEAN identity

• Narrowing the development gap

ASEAN and food safety

• AEC

Food, Agriculture and forestry – focus is on food safety in supply chain of ASEAN’s food, agriculture and forestry products/commodities

Standards and technical barriers to trade (Economic)– Harmonization of standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures for facilitating intra-regional trade.

E-commerce – issues like mutual recognition of digital signatures, best practices or GLs of regulations & standards based on common framework eg traceability

• Asean Socio-cultural Community – Health and domestic protection (ASEAN Expert Group on Food Safety)

Organizations related to Food Safety in ASEAN

Some Areas of focus on food safety by ASEAN 1

• ASEAN common principles for food control systems

• Laboratory Services: ASEAN reference labs

• Common principles & requirements for labelling of pre-packaged foods

• Common principles and requirements for food hygiene

• Taskforce on Codex: Codex related issues – forum to discuss Codex issues of importance to ASEAN, formulate ASEAN position, promote harmonization of national regulatory standards with Codex

• ASEAN – SPS Committee : SPS related issues

• MRA for Conformity assessment

• ASEAN RASFF for notification of unsafe food & crisis management - FSER Planning including traceability, food recalls, complaint systems

Some Areas of focus on food safety by ASEAN 2 • ASEAN Good Regulatory Practice

• GAP standards for production, harvest and post-harvest handling of agricultural produce

• ASEAN MRLs for pesticide residues

• Approval systems for livestock and product establishments

• GLs on GMP for shrimps & Code of conduct for responsible fisheries

• Food Laws & Regulations – conduct situational analysis & develop legislative framework and GLs; harmonising food additives, contaminants and food contact materials (1st priority)

• Inspection Services – harmonise inspection and certification practices and provide training

• Information, education, communication and training – consumer awareness and participation analyse needs, tools for measurements, information sharing network

Current food safety challenges in meeting food

safety requirements

Food Safety Challenges in the

Region

Low importance by governments (incidents

unreported, FS measurement)

Globalization & spread of contaminants

Lack of data – foodborne disease surveillance, monitoring

Lack of adequate resources - finance, Scientific, HR, infrastructure…

Linking b/w PP & processing –

Traceability– food chain

Public awareness on food safety low

Legislation/National food control system

outdated

Cross cutting area, multiagency, coordination

Trade-offs b/w food safety & security

FAO and Food Safety –FAO Activities/ initiatives

towards food safety in the region

• Food safety policies, legislation, governance (including coordination mechanisms)

• SPS/standards and norms/ Codex related activities

• Enforcement and surveillance –inspection/ testing/ certification/ FBDS)

• Food safety in various agro food supply chains (commodity issues) - linkage to primary production

• Food safety emergency management/ recall systems

• Certifications and accreditation

• Trainings/ awareness/ education

FAO Food safety & quality programme

Information Exchange Mechanisms • FAO Food Safety and quality home page

http://www.fao.org/food/food-safety-quality/home-page/en/

• Web page on Vet & Public Health, Feed & Food Safety; www.fao.org/ag/AGAinfo/programmes/en/A6.html

• Emergency prevention & early warning in area of food safety (EMPRES Food Safety): EMPRES-FS@fao.org

• *FAO Regional office for Asia and the Pacific http://www.fao.org/asiapacific/rap/home/en/

• *Capacity Building and implementation of international food safety standards in ASEAN countries http://foodsafetyasiapacific.net/

Guidance documents Workshop reports Case studies

Some regional publications on food safety

Future priorities of food safety in the region

Future Food safety Priorities in the Region

Strengthening food safety coordination mechanism

Risk analysis – detailed trainings eg risk profiling, exposure assessment, risk communication

Strengthening food import control systems

Food Recall & Traceability –support countries for application in National FS Control- Regional guidance/ trainings

Harmonization of standards – clear role of regulatory & voluntary standards

Retail food safety - regional network / regional guidance

Increased collaboration for use of regional expertise & knowledge – information exchange, awareness and trainings, RA, test facilities

Different groups focus on food safety, but need a coordinated approach (avoid overlap/ duplication)- a coordination forum, a statement that food safety is cross cutting

National scenario through ASSC (ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting) while regional scenario and trade through AEC – so negotiations do not reflect actual national scenarios

Activities are project driven and at end of project activities end – eg labs, ARASFF – need capacity strengthening and comittment of resources by countries (Food safety policies)

Focus from intra to extra ASEAN trade requires bringing weaker countries on par

AEC – Strategic rethinking/ actions needed

Conclusion

Food security is a multi-dimensional problem & requires integrated responses from variety of stakeholders/ activities

Food safety has major impact on food security –it is no longer an independent food safety issue but impacts trade, economy and our nutrition and food security and therefore needs to be taken up as a priority

To play a major role in influencing food safety and thereby food security in the region AEC needs to review progress and strengthen identified areas and coordination and support LDCs for a truly single market

THANK YOU

Any Questions?