Singapore to propose long-term ASEAN food security framework, boost support for SEA farmers

As incoming chair of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry meeting, Singapore will present a concept paper for a proposed Food Security Resilience Compact 2045, setting out a long-term cooperation framework to strengthen regional food security.

Singapore is also exploring ways to step up support for smallholder farmers in Southeast Asia to help them tackle the challenges posed by climate change.

Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said at the opening of the 48th ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry meeting in Singapore on Thursday (29 October) that the proposed compact would provide ASEAN with a long-term framework to strengthen regional resilience across food supply, climate adaptation, technology adoption, supply chains, emergency preparedness and financing.

Meanwhile, Singapore is exploring ways to bring together governments, industry and other stakeholders to strengthen support for Southeast Asian smallholder farmers and accelerate the development and adoption of solutions that can withstand the impact of climate change.

Fu said, “Together, these initiatives reflect our shared commitment to build a more resilient, sustainable, and food-secure ASEAN.”

Singapore took over the chairmanship from the Philippines. Fu thanked Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr for his leadership over the past year, noting that Singapore was assuming this responsibility against a backdrop of rapid global change.

She said technological advances, changing consumer expectations and market shifts were reshaping the food, agriculture and forestry sectors across the region and globally. At the same time, climate change, geopolitical developments, supply chain disruptions, and emerging crop pests and diseases and animal diseases underscored the urgent need to strengthen food system resilience.

“Our challenges are interconnected and addressing them requires collective action.”

For example, Fu said, helping farmers reduce their reliance on slash-and-burn farming and adopt more sustainable, productive farming methods would not only protect the environment but also help safeguard food security.

She stressed that ASEAN could build more sustainable and resilient food systems by strengthening cooperation and taking a comprehensive, coordinated approach to addressing challenges.

This is the first time in 10 years that Singapore has hosted the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry meeting. The meeting and related events run for five days from 27 to 31 October under the theme “Rooted in Partnerships, Growing Our Resilience”, bringing together ministers and senior officials from ASEAN’s 11 member states and its ASEAN Plus Three partners, China, Japan and South Korea.