Represented by its Policy Advocacy Officer Maria Elena Rebagay, AFA attended the second ASEAN Rice Trade Forum convened by the ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board (AFSRB) and the ASEAN Secretariat last June 4-5, 21013 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
ADB, through the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, provided the support to the forum, which had the theme “Rice Self-Sufficiency and Trade.”
Other participants to the forum were around 70 officials, as well as representatives from AFSRB, state trading enterprises, academe, bilateral and multilateral organizations, civil society, and the private sector.
AFA affirmed the position of various ASEAN member states, particularly the rice importing countries (Indonesia and Philippines), on the importance of pursuing rice self-sufficiency while keeping rice trade only as a fall back option to bridge the unmet gap in rice production.
AFA stressed that self-sufficiency can be enhanced through agricultural investments that improve productivity and competitiveness through significant support to sustainable farming practices that increase productivity while maintaining biodiversity.
In addition, AFA also pointed out the need for (1) provision of community-based irrigation systems, appropriate extension services, and reduction of post-harvest losses through improvement of warehousing facilities, farm-to-market roads and other infrastructure; (2) diversification of food sources that will ensure safe and nutritious food choices that are accessible and affordable through awareness raising measures and support to production and promotion of culturally appropriate food staple substitute; and, (3) promotion of community-based food reserve system to ensure community resilience amidst food price volatility and climate change.
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