DEVELOPMENT

ASEAN’s Urgent Food-Security Imperative

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

F
ood security will be among the priority issues at the ASEAN
Summit in early May at Labuan Bajo in Indonesia. Hasintya
Saraswati and Ellya Rizki Handayani of the Pijar Foundation in
Jakarta call for Southeast Asian countries to deepen cooperation in
agriculture and food production at this time of global economic,
food-supply and climate stress.

Essential worker: ASEAN countries must enhance collaboration to ensure suOcient food supply and accessibility in the
Essential worker: ASEAN countries must enhance collaboration to ensure suOcient food supply and accessibility in the
context of today’s climate and geo-economic challenges (Credit: Attasit saentep / Shutterstock.com)

Agriculture is a way of life in Southeast Asia, with eight out of the 10 member states
of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) dependent on agriculture
and its production. ASEAN's population is projected to reach over 700 million by
2030, putting signiZcant pressure on the food supply. Nations still need to overcome
hurdles for food security and inclusive rural growth. Most ASEAN countries scored
low in the Economist Impact’s Global Food Security Index compared to other
regions in Asia. The number of hungry and malnourished people continues to
increase, while the cost of supplying good quality food is at an all-time high. In
recent years, many low-income households in Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia and
Cambodia have been compelled to eat less nutritious food due to rising food prices
and declining incomes.

The condition is exacerbated by climate change, with the region suffering US$21
billion in crop and livestock production losses due to climate-related disasters. In
2020, ASEAN also had to import US$61 billion worth of agricultural commodities,
including staple food such as maize, soybean and wheat. Exacerbating the situation
are post-pandemic socio-economic challenges and geo-economic tensions.

Amid this backdrop, ASEAN countries must enhance collaboration to ensure

suOcient food supply and accessibility in the context of today’s climate and geo-
economic challenges. In 2022, under chair Cambodia, ASEAN launched the
Sustainable Agriculture Framework. As ASEAN chair this year, Indonesia has a
golden opportunity to accelerate dialogues and concrete action around this
framework and other food-security initiatives, including MSMEs, youth and regional
knowledge-sharing.

The European model: By harmonizing regulations across the EU, the region has created a single
market for food products, facilitating trade and reducing business costs (Credit: Darwin Initiative)

The need for collaborative action

A successful example of regional cooperation is what the European Union (EU) has
done to solve its food issues. By harmonizing regulations across the EU, the region
has created a single market for food products, facilitating trade and reducing
business costs. A study estimated that market harmonization would yield economic
beneZts of at least €644 billion (US$707 billion) a year by 2032. These advantages
would primarily stem from the free movement of goods, services, capital and people
while also resulting from fair and more straightforward taxation.

ASEAN's food systems are complex and require a coordinated response from all
member countries. The recent crisis highlights food-system fragilities when
confronted by global concicts, climate change and economic shocks. It is time to
advance the ASEAN Integrated Food Security Framework to be more adaptive and
responsive.

By working together, ASEAN countries can take advantage of leverage of each

other's strengths and address their weaknesses to improve regional food security.
Collaboration can also maintain a level playing Zeld where eOciency improvements
and economies of scale enable more effective resource management and
interaction among member states. Understanding pathways to region-speciZc
agriculture issues and building more robust cooperation among ASEAN member
countries is essential for the region’s overall prosperity.

No enterprises left behind

It is imperative that ASEAN should include micro, small and medium-sized
enterprises (MSMEs) in its efforts to solve its food security problems. MSMEs have
always been the backbone of each member country’s economy. During the Covid-19
pandemic, for example, MSMEs played a critical role in ensuring food supply to local
communities. By involving MSMEs in its food-security strategy, ASEAN countries
can take advantage of their local knowledge and expertise to enhance food
production and ensure a steady cow of food from production to consumption.

Consider the WIKI Entrepreneurship program, which is one of seven initiatives

launched by the Indonesia Chamber of Commerce (KADIN), the organization
steering the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) this year, and is aimed
at bridging the gap between MSMEs, large companies and the government. This
innovative scheme provides MSMEs with targeted education and mentorship
opportunities, opening access to Znancing and new markets, sharing best practices
and technologies, and coordinating efforts to address common challenges.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo inspecting ASEAN Summit preparations, Labuan Bajo, March 14:
Jakarta should encourage deeper regional collaboration in agriculture and food production (Credit:
Cabinet Secretariat of the Republic of Indonesia)

ASEAN could learn a lesson from a “food-to-market” initiative launched by the

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) in the western region of the US
state of North Carolina. The program involves working with farmers to develop and
market their products, as well as working with local retailers, restaurants, and
institutions to promote the use of local food. The scheme also provides training and
education to farmers on sustainable agriculture practices and business
development. The success of the initiative has inspired the development of similar
programs across the US, with the model proving to be effective in enhancing the
economic viability of local agriculture, promoting sustainable practices, and creating
a more resilient and sustainable food system.

ASEAN could also develop guidelines and standards for sustainable agriculture
practices, which could be adopted by farmers in all member countries. This would
ensure consistency in the implementation of sustainable practices and could also
facilitate the sharing of information and experiences.

Involving youth and securing the future

With agriculture being more labor intensive than other industries, growth in the
sector should lead to higher employment, especially considering the growing
demand and land availability across ASEAN. There is, however, evidence that the
farmer population in the region is aging. The younger generation in general has
shunned the agricultural sector as a career choice. Some of the main reasons for
the lack of youth involvement are the low image of farmers, low proZt on agricultural
products, lack of support from the government, and lack of an agriculture
curriculum in the education system.

Encouraging youth involvement, especially in rural areas, by developing a more

attractive agriculture system is, therefore, a key to intensifying the sector in
Southeast Asia. Collaborative research with and for youth on sustainable agriculture
is urgently needed. It is crucial that the solutions address the speciZc needs of
ASEAN farmers. Involving tertiary education and vocational training organizations
can help to reach out to more youngsters and promote an “Agri-cool” culture.

Pooling resources through frequent knowledge sharing

Across ASEAN, each member country can beneZt from better targeted and more
frequent agriculture knowledge sharing. There is a need for more research and
development in sustainable practices. This includes the development of new
technologies and methods that are more eOcient and environmentally responsible,
as well as researching and educating people on the impact of climate change on
agriculture.

Gotong royong in action: Indonesia's ethic of mutual assistance is rooted in the culture and is a
guiding principle of ASEAN (Credit: Herusutimbul)

A hub of strategic players could be established to connect agricultural experts and

researchers from different ASEAN countries, allowing for the sharing of best
practices and research Zndings. The hub could be piloted through a short-term
fellowship program involving experts from public and private food and agriculture
sectors. Joint workshops and training programs could be held to train farmers and
other professionals on sustainable practices. These programs could be organized
by several ASEAN countries, with experts from across the region sharing their
knowledge and experience.
Indonesia, as ASEAN chair, should encourage deeper and broader collaboration by
taking advantage of its strengths in agricultural production, geopolitical incuence,
disaster management and sustainability, tapping the nation’s gotong royong ethic of
mutual assistance that is rooted in the culture.

Meaningful collaboration as the way forward

Food security, particularly with current global conditions, is crucial for ASEAN’s
growth and prosperity. The spirit of communal harmony while respecting
sovereignty – unity in diversity – is a guiding principle of ASEAN. As Indonesia has
gotong royong, the Philippines has its bayanihan tradition. The ideal of effective
community cooperation is a common across the region. It is critical for all member
states to work together in solving food security issue in a manner that respects local
social-cultural contexts and balances environmental protection and economic
development. Without such efforts, hard-earned development gains will be lost.

Further reading:

Donnellon-May, Genevieve; and Zhang, Hongzhou. (March 24, 2022) “Recipe

for Disaster? Implications of the Ukraine-Russia War on China’s Food
Security”, AsiaGlobal Online, Asia Global Institute, The University of Hong
Kong.

Sinha, Dipa; and Nayak, Nandini. (October 13, 2022) “As Food Prices Rocket,
India’s Social Safety Nets are Strained”, AsiaGlobal Online, Asia Global
Institute, The University of Hong Kong.

Zhang, Hongzhou. (May 14, 2020) “Covid-19 and the Global Food Supply”,
AsiaGlobal Online, Asia Global Institute, The University of Hong Kong.
 Opinions expressed in articles published by AsiaGlobal Online recect only
those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of AsiaGlobal
Online or the Asia Global Institute

Author

Hasintya Saraswati
Pijar Foundation

Hasintya Saraswati is a policy specialist at the Pijar Foundation, a future-thinking non-governmental

organization in Jakarta, Indonesia. She has years of experience in managing and facilitating
technological innovations in organizations. Throughout her career, she has worked closely with all
types of clients including global enterprises, governments, development agencies, startups and
communities. Her passion for the environment and people’s development is the driver of her diverse
career.

Ellya Rizki Handayani

Pijar Foundation

Ellya Rizki Handayani leads the fellowship program at the Pijar Foundation, a future-thinking non-
governmental organization in Jakarta, Indonesia. She has two years of policy advocacy experience
with particular interests in social development, sustainability and human rights. She has worked in an
international organization focused on the business and trade nexus between Indonesia and the UK
and was also involved in an ad-hoc project with a private consultant to advocate business interests
and Indonesian policy.