300,000-MT Asean rice stockpile eyed vs food crisis

11/13/2008

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has pledged to stockpile 300,000 metric tons (MT) of rice as a reserve against a possible food crisis in the wake of the global financial meltdown, Agriculture Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Segfredo Serrano told a press conference at the Diamond Hotel at the close of the Asean-United Nations (UN) Meeting on Food Security yesterday.

The meeting aimed to generate substantive inputs for the food security agenda of the forthcoming Asean-UN summit in Chiang Mai, Thailand this December.

Senior government officials from various Asean member-states, representatives from regional and country offices of UN specialized agencies and programs (including the Food and Agriculture Organization, the UN Development Program, the International Labor Organization and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office), other multilateral organizations (such as the Asian Development Bank and the International Rice Research Institute) and other Asean Secretariat members attended the meeting

The meeting was convened at the initiative of the Philippines in its capacity as Asean lead country in engaging with the UN on food security issues under the framework of the memorandum of understanding between Asean and the UN on cooperation.

Collaboration among Asean, the UN and its agencies as well as other relevant multilateral agencies in the region has taken increased urgency in the light of the recent episodes of food price increases impacting vulnerable populations, increasing production constraints posed by input price increases, competition between food and biofuels, climate change and its impact on food production systems and the looming financial crisis, Serrano said..

On the basis of the Asean Spa-FS matrix of action programs and activities, which outlines its components and strategic thrusts, the meeting identified areas of collaboration, contained in an Asean-UN convergence matrix of programs and activities, including the inputs from the UN and other multilateral agencies with respect to their specific programs in the region and in individual Asean member States. Pat C. Santos

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