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Higher Education for Sustainable Agriculture (HESA) and Food Security in Southeast Asia
Bangkok, 18 August 2015
Strenghentening
capacity for sustainable agriculture and rural
development
Clara Mi Young Park
Gender (Rural and Social Development) Officer
Diverse region: socially, culturally and economically
Economic growth: - projected to remain steady at 5.4 % in 2014 - 5.5% in 2015 (IMF, 2014)
Successful trends in poverty reduction: - many countries in region have already achieved MGD1: the target of halving the proportion of people living below $1.25 a day (SOFI 2015)
Agricultural transformation
Modernizing food supply systems
Asia and the Pacific: a dynamic region
Progress on MDG 1 – Target 1c
Progress on MDG 1 – Target 1c
Most populous region in the world - 4.1 billion in 2012, forecasted to grow by almost 1 billion by 2050 (ADB, 2014)
Benefits of the economic growth unequally shared among and within countries (FAO and ADB, 2013) with widening income disparities
Persisting gender inequalities in access to productive resources, including land and water, services and trainings
Over 60% of population suffers from chronic hunger - 490 million people (FAO RAP, 2015)
Most ecologically vulnerable due to climate change, natural disasters
Persisting and increasing challenges
Population pressure, rapid urbanization and out-migration, feminization and ageing of agricultural labour force
Natural resources depletion
Encroachment over land and forests areas and land grabs
Competing uses of land (e.g. food vs. biofuels, tourism and urban development)
Agro-chemicals and overuse of pesticides compromises ecosystem services and risks secondary pest outbreaks
Agriculture-environment challenges
What are international or regional agencies currently doing to address these interconnected concerns
through capacity strengthening partnerships with universities, research institutions and extension
agencies?
Examples of FAO work in the Region
FAO supports governments at central and local level to strengthen the policy environment as well as delivery of programmes
FAO fosters partnerships across the board with research institutions, CSO/NGO, famers organizations as well as the private sector and development partners
With Academia, FAO strives to bridge the gap between the development and adoption of research outcomes and innovations. This includes enabling policies, technologies and improved farming practices
Fostering partnerships
ASEAN-Republic of Korea Forest Cooperation (AFoCO)
ASEAN
Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation (APFNet)
Tsukuba University
Japan International Research Centre for Agriculture Science (JIRCAS)
Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)
University of Queensland
Maejo (agriculture) University
Some partners
Regional project, funded by the Swedish Government, for better regulation and enforcement of pesticides in agriculture in the Region, also builds capacity in extension systems for pesticide risk reduction training and Integrated Pest Management through Farmer Field Schools.
Gender analysis was carried out and activities designed to facilitate women’s participation. This resulted in reduced burden, increased crop diversification and improved diets for families. For more information on this project: www.vegetableipmasia.org
FAO’s work in the Region
Regional Rice Initiative (RRI) aimed at capacity building for sustainable intensification of rice production and more responsible management of ecosystem services available from rice-based landscapes. The RRI works with universities, research institutions and extension systems to raise awareness and build capacity for development of knowledge and skills for more better management of ecosystem services in support of sustainable agriculture. For more information on this project: http://www.fao.org/asiapacific/perspectives/regional-rice/en/
FAO’s work in the Region
FAO works with the Asian Institute of Technology on implementation of a regional project aimed at development of Systems of Rice Intensification (SRI) in rainfed production areas in the Greater Mekong Subregion. This project, funded by the EU, works with local universities, research institutions, extension systems and NGOs and supports action research and farmer training on SRI. For more information on this project: http://www.sri-lmb.ait.asia/
FAO’s work in the Region
FAO’s work in the Region
Gender-sensitive value chains and women’s entrepreneurship
Training Guide on Gender and Climate Change Research in Agriculture and Food Security for Rural Development, tested in Bangladesh
Training manual for mainstreaming gender in forest policies
Support to Communities of Practice on Climate Change and Agriculture, to facilitate development and adoption of sustainable mitigation practices in various countries
What examples of innovations and best practices now exist in your agency to support post-secondary
capacity strengthening or education, training, extension and research for sustainable agriculture to address overlapping agro-environmental problems,
food security, hunger and poverty?
Innovation and best practices
The application of Integrated Pest Management reduces the need for pesticide applications. Farmers can and will reduce risk associated with pesticide if given the educational opportunities and offered effective alternative tools and methods for eco-friendly pest management.
Farmers who have adopted IPM are often interested to become growers for more profitable organic markets. Case study on IPM and organic agriculture in Laos: http://www.fao.org/in-action/good-agricultural-practices-help-raise-farmers-incomes-in-lao-pdr/en/
Innovation and best practices
• FAO and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) are collaborating to develop an e-agriculture strategy guide and assist countries to develop their national e-agriculture strategy / master plan
• E-agriculture strategies will help to rationalize resources and address holistically the ICT opportunities and challenges for the agricultural sector so to improve the livelihoods of the rural community and ensure the goals of the national agriculture master plan are achieved
Innovation and best practices
Can or should international agency support for post-secondary education, training and research be improved to better address interrelated agriculture-environment problems and food security challenges? If so how?
Need for agriculture curriculum reform and providing better learning opportunities for formal and non-formal vocational training for creating awareness and development of skills for more responsible management of agriculture ecosystems
There is a need for making agriculture more appealing to youth, boys and girls
Ensuring equal access to training opportunities for different women and men
Addressing the challenges through education
