East Asia Kevin Chen and Peter Timmer E
ast Asia is the fastest-growing region in the world in terms of growth in gross domestic product, and is also the
most successful in reducing hunger and undernu- trition.1 At the same time, however, the region is increasingly challenged by a wide array of threats to its food security. For example, the industrialization that helped fuel East Asia’s outstanding growth over the past several decades is argued by some observers to have also brought increased concern over soil pol- lution and food safety.2 High-profile food safety and transboundary animal disease incidents included the Shanghai Husi expired meat scandal and the outbreak of AH7N9 in China.3 Although such food safety scares also struck the region in 2013, sales estimates for companies involved in scandals for both 2013 and 2014, such as McDonald’s, were more discouraging in 2014 (falling from sales growth of
−1.4 percent for 2013 to −9.9 percent).4 Meanwhile, the region has long been vulnera-
ble to natural disasters, including typhoons, earth- quakes, floods, and tsunamis. With accelerating climate change, stronger typhoons and floods could further threaten the significant food security gains made thus far.5 Te region’s continued economic development and population growth will likely exac- erbate existing resource scarcity and environmental stress, and the region is expected to become much more dependent on food imports in the coming decades.6 Many East Asian countries are also struggling
with obesity rates so severe that the problem has been labeled “Asia’s nutrition time bomb.”7 Tere is a need for the formulation of a nutrition-based food security strategy that will involve a significant expansion of the traditional mandates of the region’s ministries of agriculture.
Despite all these emerging challenges, tradi-
tional food security issues such as hunger and undernutrition have not been completely solved in the region. True, according to the 2014 Global Hunger Index (GHI), over the past 20 years the region has achieved the greatest percentage reduc- tion (54 percent) in its GHI score (which is based on proportion of underweight children, propor- tion of undernourished people, and child mortality rate).8 However, the total number of people who continue to be afflicted by hunger persists at above 220 million—or more than 10 percent of the world’s population.9 Reaching these remaining poor and hungry households will be increasingly difficult as the region’s food system has become much more diversified and complex. One area that has recently gained increased aten-
tion is the risk that threatened fish populations pose to East Asian diets.10 Fish has played a critical role in improving China’s food security and nutrition, as it also has in other East Asian countries. A report released at the end of 2013 by the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the International Food Policy Research Institute highlights the importance of fish for global food security and nutrition.11
MAJOR THEMES IN FOOD POLICY IN 2014
Sound policy will be the key to ensuring the region’s food security. In 2014 there were a number of encouraging developments along the food policy front. For example, regionwide commitment on food security and safety cooperation has been reaffirmed by the Beijing Declaration on Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Food Security and the APEC Food Safety Beijing Statement of 2014.
Kevin Chen is senior research fellow, Development Strategy and Governance Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, China. Peter Timmer is emeritus professor of Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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