Moving beyond Market Volatility to Foster Food Security, Taipei, December 1-2, 2011

This conference was sponsored by the Chinese Taipei Pacific Economic Cooperation Committee and took place during December 1-2, 2011 at the Riviera Hotel in Taipei. (Program agenda with individual presentations for download)

The goal of this conference was to explore the global issue of food security with particular attention to implications for the Asia Pacific. How policy affects food security and may need to adjust or be implemented differently will be of particular interest. Speakers from various sectors were invited to address the underlying causes of price instability, and how to foster resilience and food security by building sustainable agricultural-food systems to better serve the future needs of consumers, producers and the entire food chain.

The participants examined pragmatic policy options to deal with the numerous elements of food security while helping to accelerate economic growth, social progress and environmental quality. The aim of the project was also to look for ways to enhance coordination and cooperation on APEC and international policies to address food security as an important element of individual security in the broader context. 

Food security is not a challenge that countries can adequately address individually. Regional cooperation and an open APEC food system utilizing the strengths of trade and private sector involvement are the approaches with the most promise to address the many facets of food security.  Regional dialogue and involvement of the range of private sector, nonprofit organizations and think tanks, and the academic community can set the stage for a PECC-driven regional plan for collaboration and cooperation to assure food security in the Asia-Pacific region and internationally in today’s global economy. This can then lead to guidelines or a framework in which individual economies operate internally, but consistent with region-wide food security.

The business community must be an integral part of developing a food secure region. The topics explored in this project will have implications for the business community engaged in food production, processing and marketing as well as for government policy.  Implications of the analysis will be drawn out for both the private and the public sectors, including areas in which joint efforts are likely to be most productive. 

Initially set up with funding from PECC more than ten years ago, Pacific Food System Outlook (PFSO) has long focused on identifying policy implications for the APEC/PECC region’s economies collectively and individually for the topics addressed.  These may be couched in terms of recommendations for consideration by policy leaders and provide a strong framework for dialogue within the region to develop a set of policies consistent with food security. The discussion in Taipei will provide valuable ideas as PECC assumes a more assertive role in a dialogue that goes beyond the region in the current global economy and complements and invigorates policies proposed by those representing other regions and global institutions. PECC has an important role to play in making certain that the region is not neglected in the broader discussions.