THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) outlined measures for Southeast Asia's agribusiness future during the second SEAMEO International Conference on Food and Nutrition (ICFN) 2024 in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Oct. 17-18.
With the theme "Understanding the Challenges, Gains, and Opportunities in Environmental Nutrition Research, Programs, and Policies in Southeast Asia," ICFN 2024 covered discussions on food systems, indigenous food and nutrition, sustainable diets, environmental food factors, and food security.
The conference organized by the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Regional Centre for Food and Nutrition (RECFON) aimed to "enhance understanding of the gains, challenges and opportunities associated with environmental nutrition in Southeast Asia."
As one of the plenary speakers in the session on "Bridging Disciplines for Holistic Solutions/Integrated Actions on Sustainable Food Systems," SEARCA Director Glenn Gregorio's talk centered on the current state of sustainable food production and its future outlook.
Emphasizing the potential of Southeast Asian countries as agribusiness hubs, with their agriculture upgraded and transformed from traditional farming to a globally competitive agribusiness industry, Gregorio said "there is a need to strengthen local supply chains and commodity clusters to enhance Southeast Asia's integration into global value chains."
In discussing Southeast Asia's market overview post-pandemic, Gregorio said that there was a shift in consumer behavior from a just-in-time to a just-in-case model.
"[This is] wherein people resorted to stocking and seeking alternative food sources; the trend toward home cooking with a focus on healthier and higher-quality food; and the growing importance of local sourcing and home gardening for self-sufficiency," he added.
Gregorio also proposed strategic actions needed to sustain Southeast Asia's agribusiness sector. These include addressing supply chain gaps and other coordination issues; supporting small farmers, especially with access to technologies, technical knowledge, and finance; promoting climate-resilient agriculture; investing in rural infrastructure, innovation and research and development; and strengthening regulatory and certification systems.
Professor Rina Agustina of Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Indonesia emphasized the importance of culturally acceptable planetary health diets, echoing the EAT-Lancet Commission's recommendations.
Another speaker, Professor Drajat Martianto of Institut Pertanian Bogor University, presented the importance of reducing food miles or the distance food travels from production to consumption.
Serving as rapporteurs for the plenary session were Beatrisa Martinez, SEARCA executive coordinator, and Zara Mae Estareja, SEARCA senior associate for public relations.
Martinez and Estareja also managed SEARCA's institutional exhibit showcasing the School-plus-Home Gardens Project or S+HGP and its offshoot projects: School-plus-Home Gardens cum Biodiversity Enhancement and Enterprise or SHGBEE in Cambodia and Busuanga, Philippines, and the School Edible Landscaping for Entrepreneurship or SEL4E project in Rizal.
The event was co-organized by SEARCA and SEAMEO Regional Centre for Tropical Biology.