Food Insecurity in Asia & the Pacific : Status, Challenges and Key Actions

1. Food Insecurity in Asia & the Pacific : Status, Challenges and Key Actions Hiroyuki Konuma Assistant Director-General & Regional Representative FAO-Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific International Conference on "Eliminating Hunger and Poverty: Priorities in Global Agricultural Research and Development Agenda in an Era of Climate Change and Rising Food Prices“ 7-9 August 2010, Chennai, India

2. Content • Global and the Asia-Pacific regional portrait of food security • Soaring food prices and food insecurity • Conclusions

3. Global and regional portrait of food security

4. Over 1 billion undernourished in 2009 150 million because of two crises

6. Poverty and Hunger in the Asia-Pacific Region – State of Progress • From 1970s to early 1990s the number of hungry was declining gradually as a result of the adoption of Green Revolution technologies and facilitative investments • In 1990-92, the number of undernourished in the region was 585.7 million which declined by10 percent to 528.5 million in 1995-97. • However, the declining trend reversed the following years: between1995-97 – 2004-06 the number increased by nearly 38 million or 7 percent. • Overall, in 14 years between 1990-2 to 2004-06, the overall decline in the number of hungry was 3 percent. • The goals of halving the number of hungry by 2015 is unlikely to met.

7. Number of Undernourished in Asia and the Pacific

8. Proportion of Undernourished in Asia and the Pacific

9. 86 percent of undernourished in Asia-Pacific live in just five countries 2004-06

10. The twin crises and food security • Recent economic turmoil – fuel, food and financial crises - has left millions more undernourished. • In the wake of the food crisis, the number of hungry increased from 873 million in 2004-06 to 915 million worldwide. According to FAO projections, this further increased to 1.02 billion after the economic crisis beginning in mid-2008. • In the region, compared to 2004-06, the number of hungry is projected to have increased by 76 million.

11. Soaring food prices and food insecurity

13. Food price changes 2005-2010

14. Domestic market prices in selected Asian countries Source: FAO Food prospects and crop situation, Feb 2010

15. Domestic market prices in selected Asian countries Source: FAO Food prospects and crop situation, Feb 2010

16. Domestic market prices in selected Asian countries

17. Domestic market prices in selected Asian countries

18. Real Commodity Prices 2007-08 Relative to 1997-2006 and Projection for 2010-2019 Source: OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2010-2019

19. Food Security in Asia & the Pacific

20. “ Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for a healthy and active life” -The World Food Summit, 1996 • Four dimensions: availability, access, utilization and stability • Household food security is the application of this concept to the family level, with individuals within households as the focus of concern • Food security is thus measured at national, household and individual levels

21. FOOD SECURITY CONSUMPTION UTILIZATION AVAILABILITY ACCESS TRADE, FOOD AID & STOCKS Import Policy Market integration OTHER FACTORS Intra-household resource allocation Dietary practices Other food policies (e.g. Supplementary feeding, Subsidies) PRODUCTION Resources: Natural Physical Human Financial INCOME Farm Income Non-Farm Income Safety Nets ABSORPTION Health Sanitation Safe water Food quality NUTRITION AND HEALTH RISKS Epidemics Erosion of social services ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS Climate shocks Natural resource degradation Pests MARKET AND ENTITLEMENT RISKS Economic shocks Deterioration of terms of trade Collapse of safety nets STABILITY Simplified Schematic Representation of Food Security

22. Food Security Paradox in Asia & the Pacific • Food production per capita has increased in the last 40 years • Food consumption per capita is declining as affluence is increasing with economic growth • Still the

23. Causes of Hunger in the Region Availability Issues In recent year, growth in foodgrain production has declined due to deceleration in productivity growth due to Reduced investment in agricultural R&D Soil degradation and water scarcity Diversion of agricultural land to other uses While population growth rate has declined, the absolute number continues to increase, resulting in increased food requirement

24. Causes of Hunger in the Region Availability Issues Decline in per capita food consumption is offset by increased population Growing demand for animal feed as demand for meat is increasing Growing use of food (maize and oilseeds) for biofuel production

25. Underlying Causes for Increasing Hunger in the Region Access Issues Economic growth was rapid, but inequitable Increased volatility of food prices & external economic shocks, e.g. the economic crisis Inadequate safety nets Environmental degradation & natural disasters Gender discrimination, AIDS Wars and armed conflict

26. Conclusions

27. Long-term Challenges of Hunger Reduction in the Region • Increasing food production to meet needs of a growing, affluent and ageing population, which will increase from 4.2 billion in 2010 to 5.3 billion in 2050 • Achieving broadly-based, inclusive economic growth • Establishing sustainable targeted safety nets for the poor and vulnerable groups • Addressing competition between food and biofuel needs • Success in adaptation to and mitigation of climate change in agriculture • Coping with water scarcity • Dealing with commercialization and globalization of markets • Ensuring food safety

28. Key Actions to Address Persistent & Growing Hunger in the Region • Increase investment to sustain productivity growth • Empower small producers and women farmers • Increase access to food, not just supply by increasing incomes on agriculture and in other sector • Strengthen farm & non-farm sector linkages • Improve ability to respond to new pressures and uncertainties

30. http://www.1billionhungry.org/ Put pressure on decision makers to end hunger. Sign the petition, and push for action wherever you are. Please sign the petition at address below. http://www.1billionhungry.org/