Mr Cyril Enweze, Senior Vice President, IFAD, indicated that while the Asia and Pacific region has experienced significant economic growth in resent decades, there still exist major problems of food insecurity and extreme poverty. More must be done, especially in the rural regions, if MDG-1 is to be accomplished. IFAD focuses its development strategy on less favoured areas, like remote mountains, and less favoured groups, like women and indigenous peoples. While there are difficulties in addressing poverty and food insecurity at the regional level, this meeting provides a chance to discuss ways to cooperate more efficiently regionally.
While IFAD and many other groups have been making efforts at the regional level, much more must be done. A six-point agenda will provide ideas on how this can be accomplished. First, it is necessary to recognize and spread successful strategies and practices used to combat poverty and food insecurity. IFAD can help with this process. Second, regional mechanisms could be useful in facilitating upscaling and replication. Third, countries should collaborate regionally to address the issue of sustainable natural resource management. Fourth, while largely a national and local issue, there is scope for regional initiatives to promote equity and access to productive assets. Additionally, globalization and its effects on markets should be discussed at a regional level. Fifth, discussion of government policy should be carried out at the regional level. Sixth, regional cooperation can help promote peace and stability, which is a necessary condition for development.
The Honourable Young M. Vivian, MP, Premier of Niue, stated that one of the major characteristics of the South Pacific region is its physical environmental diversity. Also, resources are unequally distributed among the countries of the region. Because of this, agencies have been established to deal with the resulting “socio-economic disparity”. These agencies, including the Forum Fisheries Agency, use a collective approach. The region is using the same collective approach to eliminate food insecurity and poverty through FAO programmes. Globalization poses a special challenge for the small island nations of the region. It is especially important for the region’s countries to act collectively in dealing with this challenge. The region also faces the special problem of losing its means of sustainability because of natural disasters. This makes it even more difficult for the South Pacific countries to move forward. International and regional cooperation are necessary for overcoming the challenges that face the region.
The Honourable M.K. Anwar, Minister for Agriculture, Bangladesh, stated that the agriculture sector of Bangladesh has achieved much in the recent past. These accomplishments are due to the combination of international and domestic efforts of “effective public policy interventions in a market driven agriculture sector” and helpful public investment. Two major achievements are the following. First, production of foodgrains has increased per capita availability of food. Second, there has been a notable decline in poverty since independence. But poverty and food security remain major problems for the region and for Bangladesh. This is largely due to “our deficiency in political will to act together and our failure to mount a purposeful, coherent and time-bound regional and subregional effort to end food insecurity and poverty from this region.” While leaders have committed to solving these problems, not enough progress has been made.
Regional cooperation is crucial for overcoming these problems. Additionally, the cooperation of stakeholders and donors is necessary. A national emphasis on pro-poor economic growth will also help the situation. Moreover, regional cooperation is needed to effectively use the region’s water resources and take advantage of the opportunities of biotechnology. Adversities can be translated into opportunities through regional cooperation.
H.E. Mr Y.B. Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Minister for Agriculture, Malaysia, pointed out that for Malaysia the issue of food security consists of two parts: “the first is the right to access to food while the second is to be self-sufficient in food production.” Malaysian agricultural policy is focused on making the agriculture sector “modern, dynamic and competitive.” The agriculture sector is crucially important and Malaysia sees its greatest challenge as the lessening of dependence on both agriculture and food imports. In addressing this issue, Malaysia’s national policy and the involvement of the private sector are important. The elimination of poverty must be done through rural development. Malaysia has concentrated its governmental efforts in these areas and has made significant progress owing to continuous budgetary support and political will.
While Malaysia has accomplished much, it must now look towards regional cooperation as a way of dealing with globalization and increasing it’s accomplishments in the areas of food security and poverty alleviation. Malaysia is currently working well with ASEAN but sees that progress could be made through cooperation in the areas of research and economic development. While regional cooperation is necessary and beneficial, it requires that all involved parties are committed to the cooperation. Overall, the primary responsibility of overcoming the problems of food insecurity and poverty lies with the individual countries, but regional cooperation can and should be utilized as well.
H.E. Maj. Gen. Nyunt Tin, Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation, Myanmar, underlined that while global commitments have been made to fight against poverty and food insecurity, these issues are still major problems for the Asia and Pacific region. More efforts must be made at the regional level if the fight is to be successful. Myanmar has actively supported the development of agriculture and irrigation through its programmes and resources. Rice needs to be at the center of development plans for the region. The accomplishments of the agriculture sector in Myanmar are due to national, international and private actions. In particular, the government of Myanmar focused on improving infrastructure and supporting rural areas.
Additionally, Myanmar is currently cooperating regionally through ASEAN, particularly in the area of poverty reduction and food security. Fair trading practices are crucial for increasing income which will in turn increase food security. Regional cooperation can be especially productive in establishing “a level playing field in international trading practices.”
The Honourable Tuisugaletaua Sofara Aveau, Minister for Agriculture, Forest, Fisheries and Meteology, Samoa, stated that agriculture is of vital importance to Samoa and the country is committed to achieving the MDGs. There appears to be an absence of hunger in Samoa, but anecdotal evidence suggests the presence of relative poverty and food insecurity. A more complete and accurate study is necessary to completely understand the situation. It is known that nutrition deficiencies are leading to health problems.
The Government of Samoa is committed to strengthening institutions and developing policies that will increase production of the agriculture sector. In order to eradicate poverty, food insecurity and the inequalities in income distribution, people must have economic opportunities. The creation of these opportunities is at the core of Samoa’s development policies.
The fight against poverty and food insecurity is being fought in cooperation with regional and international groups. “The sustainable management of natural resources and finding solutions to environmental concerns” are major focuses of established regional groups and will help to end poverty and food insecurity. Better trade practices are also on the agenda of the Pacific Forum Secretariat. The reduction of market barriers is of critical importance to countries of the region. The ability of regional and international organizations to help in the fight is constrained by their own limited resources.
H.E. Zhang Baowen, Vice Minister of Agriculture, China, pointed out that China has made great progress in food security and poverty alleviation but still “faces severe challenges in agricultural development.” The SARS outbreak caused a severe decrease in food production. The Government has adopted policies such as direct subsidies to grain producers and decreasing taxes on agriculture in order to combat this problem.
China has been and remains committed to regional and international cooperation in the agriculture sector. China is going to establish a China-ASEAN Free Trade Zone by 2010 when 6 000 products will enjoy zero tariffs. Additionally, China works with FAO to eradicate food insecurity and poverty. In the future, developing countries should keep their agriculture sectors as priorities and donors and the international community at large should continue to support these efforts.
H.E. Ramesh Chandra A. Jain, Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, India, pointed out that “geography clearly dictates a subregional approach in catering to the problems” of poverty and food insecurity, among others. Despite the progress that India and the region as a whole have made in the battle against poverty and food insecurity, a more strengthened and concerted effort is needed. Agriculture remains the key to sustainable development in India. When discussing the agriculture sector in India it is important to keep in mind the small average landholding size. The Government’s achievements on the supply side combined with the expansion of the public food distribution system to more villages helped make food more secure. Additionally, it must be noted that India dealt well with its recent drought experiences. The improvement and growth of the agriculture sector is necessary to eradicate poverty.
With so much work to be done to end poverty and food insecurity, it is crucial that political will and resources are mobilized. Additionally, fair trade policies are necessary to ensure the farmers’ well-being. While there is much promise for the benefits that regional cooperation can bring, the inherent difficulties that come with collaboration must be recognized. The key to successful “cooperation is information and experience sharing in the policy and programme domains.” More work needs to be done by FAO, other UN agencies, and international financial institutions to make these information networks more effective.
The Honourable Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani, Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Nepal, underlined that while the world is more prosperous today than it was a decade ago, this is an aggregate picture and masks the faces of more than 800 million people who do not have adequate access to food. This is a problem for all countries of the world whether they are developed or developing, but progress has been slow. Significant increases in food production are necessary and can only happen through another major technological breakthrough. But increased food production by itself is not the answer.
Poverty must be reduced as well. This can be done by diversifying the agriculture sector through increasing access to markets. This is where regional cooperation can be extremely helpful. Improvements in the development process need to occur at all levels (i.e. local, national, regional and international). Agriculture is very important to Nepal, but agricultural productivity is low and approximately half of its districts are classified as food deficient. The Government is working hard to alleviate poverty by promoting economic growth, infrastructure, specific programmes and good governance. Finally, it needs to be acknowledged that the eradication of poverty and food insecurity is a highly politicized process.
Mr Rahul Raturi, Sector Manager, Rural Development and Natural Resources, East Asia Region, World Bank, pointed out that while the growth of the agricultural sector is necessary for poverty reduction, accomplishing agricultural growth is becoming more difficult because the world is running out of farmable land and not much more land can feasibly be irrigated. Thus, productivity from the use of land, labour, water and capital assets must be increased. Governments must re-examine their rural development strategies with a new focus on issues like Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and water degradation for achieving sustainable agriculture. Finally the international community as a whole must address some challenges. It needs to increase the importance of rural development in national policy, increase investment for rural development, have donors work together and “create a rural alliance of interested donors, NGOs and the private sector, to help coordinate international efforts.”
