The State of Food and Agriculture in Asia and the Pacific 2014

RAP PUBLICATION 2014/04

The State of Food and Agriculture in Asia and the Pacific 2014

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Bangkok 2014

ABSTRACT

This publication reports on the state of food and agriculture in Asia and the Pacific. It is the third issue of the series which highlights both the trends and challenges in food security and nutrition in Asia-Pacific and the outlook and way forward to 2050. Challenges include land, water and labour shortages for food producers as well as volatile oil and food prices and the negative impacts of climate change and natural disasters. The way forward involves providing public goods in sufficient quantity and quality, as well as a fair and inclusive environment for private investment that respects the rights of the poor. The publication ends with a section on structural transformation of the economy and agricultural transition: are large farms the way of the future?

Table of Contents

Foreword
Acronyms
Trends in food security and nutrition
    Undernourishment is declining but has not been eradicated
    Access to food has improved, but many are still poor
    Diets are diversifying
    Sanitation has improved, but major problems remain
    Food safety and quality
    Emerging nutrition problems
Agricultural growth and trends in production for crops, livestock and fish
    Economic and agricultural growth has been rapid, especially in East and
        Southeast Asia
    Production patterns are diversifying to meet demand
    Labour and land are becoming scarcer
    Fertilizer use is still growing, but less rapidly than in the past
Trends in international trade
Trends in natural resource management
    Forests and forestry
    Water and irrigation
    Fisheries
    Land and land use
Outlook and challenges to 2050
    Population growth is slowing; Asia will continue to become wealthier and more
        urbanized
    Changes in agricultural production to 2050
    New land is limited
    Water is increasingly scarce
    Climate change creates more uncertainty
    Biofuels might add to crop demand
    Oil and food prices will remain volatile and difficult to predict
Policy challenges and the way forward
    The provision of public goods, in both quantity and quality
    Creation of a fair and inclusive enabling environment for private investment
    Sustainable intensification
    Reducing food losses and waste
    Improving food safety and quality
    Building a dynamic non-agricultural economy and a system of social protection
    Helping farmers to manage risk and uncertainty
    Structural transformation of the economy and agricultural transition: Are
        large farms the way of the future?
References

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ISBN 978-92-5-108172-3 (print)
E-ISBN 978-92-5-108173-0 (PDF)

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For copies write to:	David Dawe
	Senior Economist
	FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
	Maliwan Mansion, 39 Phra Atit Road
	Bangkok 10200, Thailand
	Tel: (+66) 2 697 4000
	Fax: (+66) 2 697 4445
	E-mail: [email protected]