Food Security Goes Beyond Increasing Region’s Food Production, Philippine Official Tells APEC

Iloilo City, Iloilo — Ensuring food security is more than just increasing food production in the region, Chair of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Policy Partnership on Food Security (PPFS), Asis Perez, has told delegates of other APEC member economies.

“Among others, it involves enhancing the competitiveness of our agriculture and fisheries, fair policies that promote a sustainable growth and cooperative relationship between and among the many stakeholders in food security,” said Perez, who is also National Director of the Philippines’ Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

The 2nd PPFS Meeting opened at the Iloilo Convention Center here on Friday on the margins of the 10-day High Level Policy Dialogue on Food Security and the Blue Economy Meeting.

The PPFS meeting, hosted by the Philippines this year, aims to strengthen the partnership and commitment of the public and private sectors as key to long-term food security.

Perez stressed that food security is one of the urgent challenges confronting the world, especially the APEC region, as 70 percent of the world’s hungry population are in the Asia Pacific.

“With the private sector’s major role in agriculture and fisheries, it is high time that we recognize the importance of promoting trade, market access and investments along the food value chain,” he said.

“Guided by public policies, laws, and regulations, it is vital that we share a common vision for food security, wherein the public and private sectors are in convergence — playing significant and complementary roles,” he noted.

The PPFS Chair also urged the APEC to harmonize action and strategic plan with other APEC-related fora, such as that on the Blue Economy, to establish linkage and intensified work to advance food security.

“Our outcomes must be responsive, giving concrete and timely solutions in the challenge of improving the living conditions of citizens in the APEC region,” Perez said.

He added that the Partnership on Food Security meeting shall lead APEC economies to produce tangible recommendations for consideration during the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting this November.

The Philippines has hosted the first two PPFS meetings of the APEC, held in Boracay and Iloilo City, respectively. PNA (kc)