Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences



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2011/ISOM/SYM/007

The Main APEC Policy Provisions to Strength of Food Security

Submitted by: Russian Academy Of Agricultural Sciences (RAAS)

| |APEC 2012 Symposium |

| |St. Petersburg, Russia |

| |12 December 2011 |

The Main APEC Policy Provisions to Strength of Food Security

I. Ushachev

Academician, Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences,

Director of the All-Russian Research institute of Agricultural Economics

Ladies and gentlemen,

The scientists of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences have been involved in the development of the problem of strength food security APEC let me outline the key policies of APEC on this issue.

The scientists of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, was carried out a thorough structural and semantic analysis of the declarations of all 19 of the previous forums.

Comparison of the results of decisions analysis fixed in declarations of the leaders of APEC member economies with the analysis of the APEC database for the period 1998 to 2011 revealed that the first issue of sectoral priorities, Formation and development of food markets, was firstly raised at the first forum of the APEC economies, which took place in November 1989 in Canberra (Australia).The dynamics of the subsequent consideration of the specified priority shows that, under this priority have been identified objectives aimed primarily at the implementation of trade liberalization, economic growth and attract investment, and integration of the APEC economies, trade expansion, and also discussed the formation, in the long term, Asia-Pacific free trade zone.

Increasing food production requires responsible investment, based on government-private partnership as exemplified by the "Green Revolution of 80s ", when it was possible to save from starvation hundreds millions of people thanks to a substantial increase in investment in agriculture. Along with this purpose is necessary to provide sufficient funding for advanced research and development to create new technologies in agriculture, resource and environment-friendly agricultural technology of new generation, new varieties and hybrids, formation of an effective system of irrigation of crops, development of logistics and processing infrastructure of agriculture, improving the quality and conservation of land resources, introduction of new land to agricultural use, and increasing the level of agricultural education.

From the standpoint of scientists of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, it would be reasonable for APEC economies to cooperate in an active investment policy in these areas and to develop a specific program of such cooperation.

A prerequisite for the agri-food market development is monitoring of the situation and exchange the information on the volume of production, supply and demand of food in the APEC region, on the other side the creation of an information platform for the formation of stable communication in agriculture. Japan has already assumed the functions of developer of such a platform.

From our point of view extremely important are problems of price volatility on the food markets, and developing the approaches to mitigate them.

As an alternative solution for the problem of instability in food prices is proposed to hold a conference of APEC on the need for and possibility of establishing a supranational intervention fund, whose task will be to reduce price volatility in the food market through intervention purchases, as well as providing food aid to poor countries in the region.

In our opinion, it would be appropriate to create a conjunctural Center for Analysis and Forecasting food situation in the region, as well as on a regular basis to jointly develop forward-looking food balances.

Furthermore a series of coordination meetings should be to organize to reduce barriers to the movement of food in the APEC economies, and intensify the processes of development and coordination of approaches to infrastructure development of food markets, including improving their logistics.

I suppose it is important to study the problem of loss reduction along the food chain from production to marketing of agricultural products, raw materials and food to the further elaboration of consensus recommendations for the APEC economies, as well as pay attention to recycling and food-industry waste.

Developing of a common position of APEC member economies to build and use food stocks may also be a harmonization measure to improve the predictability of markets and, hence, accelerating their development and integration.

In 1999, the APEC Secretariat was first raised the problem of innovation development of agriculture. Dynamics of issues under this priority branch shows that they are treated by more than half of the APEC forum, with particular emphasis on the development of information and communication technologies, a policy of agricultural biotechnology, the spread of technological advances in food production. The leader among the initiators of the performance of this industry priority is Japan - accounting for 28% of all ongoing projects.

Under this priority branch is necessary to combine the scientific potential and create conditions for joint access to genetic resources and technology of selection, which will ensure sustainable growth in food production in APEC economies.

To coordinate the innovation activities, assist in technology transfer and dissemination of knowledge in the field of agricultural biotechnology, the risk of use of assessment and evaluation of innovative technologies proposed to establish a national biosafety innovation centers in the field of agriculture and biotechnology on APEC economies. It is clearly evident that for developing of the innovation technology assistance in spreading through government-private mechanism will be necessary.

Already at the second APEC forum in Singapore, raised the question of improving the quality and food safety. In this case were identified objective to promote economic growth, with the assurance of secure a healthy environment and quality of life of citizens. This issue was further developed at 9th APEC forum, which focused on as an initiative to implement the recommendations and to strengthen regional and global food security.

Improving the quality of food and food safety should include the development of common approaches to assessing the quality and food safety, with the International Food Safety Authorities (INFOSAN), the Commission "Codex Alimentarius" of FAO/WHO requirements and ensure the harmonization of sanitary, phytosanitary and veterinary services economies APEC.

In this branch priority an important role has the development of organic production because they allow, first of all, preserving human health.

On the 8th APEC was first raised the problem of providing food to socially vulnerable groups of population.

This priority includes projects, to provide humanitarian assistance in the form of grain supplies to needy countries, social programs, including school meals.

In addition with the above, it seems appropriate in the main sectoral priorities to pay special attention to:

▪ convergence of approaches to the creation and development of national systems for managing food safety risks, including the creation of reserves;

▪ rural development and improving the efficiency of employment and on this basis - poverty reduction;

▪ arrangement the agreements to block or restrict the speculation in grain markets and other essential food items and products;

▪ deepen the coordination of the international community for food security on the basis of relevant UN institutions.

In summary, I consider advisable on behalf of scientists of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences in addressing the problems of increasing food security, pay special attention to the following provisions:

▪ to continue fight volatility of international food price

▪ develop and stabilize food markets by monitoring the prices of agricultural products and the volume of supply and demand for food;

▪ develop market infrastructure to reduce losses and costs for all the elements of the food chain;

▪ combine efforts to improve food security through further liberalization of foreign direct investment and support innovative development of agriculture;

▪ to improve the quality and food safety, especially for the urban population;

▪ pay special attention to the development of standards for food safety for the socially vulnerable groups of population.

Thank you for your attention!

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