Hardev Kaur: When the time for talking is over...
By : Hardev Kaur
THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) co-operation in the
agriculture sector dates back to as early as 1968. The members agreed
to co-operate in food production and supply. The scope of this co-
operation was broadened in 1977 to include agriculture and forestry.
The agreement also provides for Asean Food Security Reserves with rice
stocks. Among others, it was "to realise effective cross-supply
arrangements of food, especially rice, from food surplus countries, or
other member countries to food deficit countries during normal
conditions and in times of emergencies".
Each member was to contribute to the stocks. After almost three
decades, the Asean emergency rice reserve is estimated to have 87,000
tonnes of rice. According to some, this is not sufficient to meet even
a half-day's needs of the members.
The scheme could have come in very useful in meeting the needs of
members in the current global food crisis and rising food prices. The
scheme, however, failed to address the members' food emergencies,
including the serious rice shortage in Indonesia at the height of the
Asian financial crisis in 1997.
With the devastation in Myanmar this week caused by Cyclone Nargis,
Asean Secretary-General Dr Surin Pitsuwan said the grouping was
thinking of tapping into the 87,000-tonne emergency rice reserve.
In past emergencies, members have resorted to bilateral arrangements.
In 1980, for example, when the Philippines needed some 200,000 tonnes
of rice on loan, it turned to Indonesia.
In the face of the current food crisis and rising food prices, other
proposals are emerging. For example, Thailand's Prime Minister Samak
Sundaravej revived the old proposal, first made in 2001, for the
establishment of an Organisation of Rice Exporting Countries (Orec).
The proposed members would be the rice-producing members of the Mekong
- Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.
The proposal received a mixed response - support, criticism and
objection from Asean members and others. Following strong criticism,
Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama announced that Bangkok had
withdrawn the proposal, admitting that "the rice issue is very
sensitive, and if a rice cartel is formed, it would make the world
food crisis worse".
The strongest criticism came from the Philippines, a major rice
importer in greatest need of rice, which rejected the idea outright.
Senate majority leader Francis Pangilinan described the proposal as
"anti-poor", adding that it "will exacerbate hunger and poverty rather
than ease it".
Meanwhile, another Philippine lawmaker, Senator Manuel Roxas, who is
also chairman of the Trade and Commerce Committee, called on the
Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs to propose an Asean leaders'
summit on rice and food security in the light of the Orec proposal.
The food situation, and more so the rising price of food, is causing
increased anxiety not only in the region but worldwide. The Asean
Trade Ministers' meeting in Bali, Indonesia, over the weekend was
hijacked by the food security issue. At the end of their meeting they
"affirmed that access to adequate and reliable supply of rice and
stable prices are fundamental to the region's economic and social well-
being".
A statement issued at the end of the meeting said the ministers
recognised the need to improve productivity through technology
transfers, research and development, and making more land available
for agriculture and lifting spending, both public and private.
But there were no details. Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Pangestu is
reported to have told a news conference that while Asean had stopped
short of "concrete actions", the 10-member grouping "did agree very
strongly to communicate and co-operate among ourselves".
Asean currently has existing mechanisms that are directly related to
food security in the region, including the Asean Food Security Reserve
and the East Asia Emergency Rice Reserve comprising the Asean+3:
China, Japan and South Korea.
According to Surin, Asean, as a net exporter of several food
commodities, has sufficient food for its people and the world's.
"If we manage our food production, processing, storage and
distribution well, we can also help relieve the world's anxiety and
pressure by sharing our food surpluses with other regions," he added.
Consumers want concrete action. Asean has had the Asean Food Security
proposal for almost 30 years. The idea was perhaps ahead of its time,
but it nevertheless should be followed up. It is seen as "a forward-
looking strategy to ensure food security for people as a means to
minimise the adverse impact of unexpected events. Regional food
reserves benefit countries facing food emergencies and is a way of
promoting co-operation".
That would be urgently needed now.
Food security is a vital issue before Asean members today, and in view
of the ongoing global food crisis, the urgent need to strengthen food
security has come to the fore, as was evident at the ministers'
meeting in Bali. This is further compounded by the cyclone's
devastation of one of its poorest members, Myanmar.
While sufficient food stocks are important, it is also necessary to
have control over prices.
There is no doubt that leaders recognise the importance of food
security and maintaining the availability of basic items, including
rice, at affordable prices. But the time for talking is over. It is
time to act. The poor and hungry cannot wait another day.
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