APEC commits to a sustainable region

The 9th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Food Security Ministerial Meeting (FSMM) in Trujillo, Peru, called for a comprehensive approach and urgent action to address regional and global food security challenges.

A farmer harvests wheat on the outskirts of southern Pakistan's Hyderabad on April 1, 2024.

Taking place in the context of the intertwined impacts of climate change, supply chain disruptions, and economic inequality that increasingly threaten the stability of the world's food system, the meeting reaffirmed members' commitments to ensuring lasting and sustainable food security.

The Asia-Pacific region is facing major food security challenges, with the risk of food insecurity becoming increasingly severe due to natural disasters which devastate crops and infrastructure.

Economic disparities lead to uneven food accessibility and affordability, while rapid urbanisation results in the loss of valuable agricultural land.

According to Ángel Manero Campos, Minister of Agrarian Development and Irrigation of Peru, the abovementioned issues are emerging as the primary threat to global food security, causing scarcity and driving up food prices.

Meanwhile, the growing global population further intensifies the demand for food, placing additional strain on already depleted resources. Economic inequality remains a significant barrier, with millions unable to afford sufficient nutritious food.

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the vulnerabilities in the global agri-food systems and highlighted the need for robust and resilient agricultural practices.

Food security is becoming a more urgent issue than ever, with around 733 million people facing hunger in 2023, equivalent to one in eleven people globally and one in five in Africa.

The latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2024 (SOFI 2024) report, recently released by five United Nations specialised agencies, warns that the world has been set back 15 years in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2): Zero Hunger by 2030 under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as adopted by the United Nations General Assembly.

More concerning is that an alarming number of people continue to face food insecurity and malnutrition. Although the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding has increased 48% globally, the global hunger levels have plateaued for three consecutive years, with between 713 and 757 million people undernourished in 2023 — approximately 152 million more than in 2019 when considering the mid-range (733 million).

This is an alarming figure because billions of people still have difficulty in accessing adequate food and nutrition.

Last year, around 2.33 billion people globally faced moderate or severe food insecurity, a number that has not changed significantly since the sharp upturn in 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

People wait to receive food relief in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on March 30, 2024.

Over 2.8 billion people were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2022. This disparity is most pronounced in low-income countries, where 71.5% of the population cannot afford a healthy diet, compared to 6.3% in high-income countries.

The APEC Food Security Ministerial Meeting concluded with members reinforcing their commitment to achieving the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040, including through the implementation of the Aotearoa Plan of Action.

The plan aims to ensure lasting food security and improve nutrition for all while preventing and reducing food loss and waste and enhancing resilience throughout the agri-food systems.

Sustainable agricultural development and food security are identified as important goals that APEC member economies are striving to achieve towards the building of a peaceful and prosperous region.

NDO