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Ministers from APEC countries commit to protect food systems, launch food security roadmap

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3 years ago

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Agriculture and food ministers from the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies on Thursday (19 Aug) reaffirmed their commitment to an open, transparent, productive, sustainable, and resilient APEC food system by launching a new 10-year food security roadmap.

According to a World Bank policy brief, nearly 2.37 billion people lacked access to adequate food in 2020, a rise of 320 million in just one year,

A report by the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC) also found that the number of people facing acute food insecurity who need urgent life and livelihood-saving assistance hit a five-year high in 2020.

Against this backdrop, APEC ministers convened at their annual APEC Ministerial Meeting on Food Security yesterday, chaired by New Zealand Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor, and adopted the ‘APEC Food Security Roadmap Towards 2030‘.

The roadmap details goals and key action areas where APEC is well placed to help ensure people always have access to sufficient, safe, affordable, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

“While food security was already a challenge, COVID-19 showed us that there are vulnerabilities in our food systems and in our economies, and that our food systems need improvement – especially to deliver on the APEC 2040 vision of an open, dynamic, peaceful, and resilient region,” said Minister O’Connor in his opening remarks.

The roadmap, aligned with New Zealand’s APEC 2021 priorities as well as the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040, incorporates four key areas of focus:

  • Digitalization and innovation: using digital levers to drive food sustainability
  • Productivity: prioritizing systems that are fit for purpose
  • Inclusivity: ensuring that underrepresented groups are set up to thrive
  • Sustainability: tackling climate change and environmental challenges

“Besides our effort to address the challenges of food security, the roadmap also emphasizes efforts in increasing productivity and efficiency, minimizing food waste, mitigating and adapting to climate change as well as reducing costs and facilitating food trade,” added Philip Houlding, Chair of the APEC Policy Partnership on Food Security.

The group spearheaded the development of the roadmap, and drives public-private sector engagement on all aspects of food security in the region. 

At the virtual meeting, the APEC Ministers heard from Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), on closing the digital divide – especially in rural areas – and how this can help address some challenges faced by small-scale food producers.

They also acknowledged the benefits of digitalization, and discussed measures to promote innovation and improve the use of digital technology to ensure food security as the region recovers from COVID-19.

“The pandemic accelerated digital transformation and highlighted the abilities of an innovative digitally enabled economy to better recover and thrive,” said Minister O’Connor.

“But effective recovery also requires all elements of government to work together to deliver this transformation and enhance food security in the APEC region.”

Additionally, the APEC Ministers also highlighted the central role of the private sector throughout the food value chain with respect to production and processing, distribution, trade, and investment.

They encouraged deeper collaboration between policymakers and the private sector to ensure an innovative, refreshed food system to meet the food security challenges of the future.

“Without food security for all our people, we cannot achieve the other goals we have for our economies,” Minister O’Connor concluded.

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Asia

Up to 200 athletes tested for doping so far at Asian Games

Between 150 and 200 Asian Games athletes tested for doping, yielding no positive results. Anti-doping efforts emphasized for a clean event, focusing on record-breakers.

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1 year ago

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25 September 2023

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HANGZHOU, CHINA — Between 150 and 200 Asian Games athletes have already been tested for doping, the Olympic Council of Asia said on Monday, with no positive results so far.

Speaking at an anti-doping press conference on the second full day of the Games in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, the OCA said dope-testing was “gaining momentum” at the event.

Mani Jegathesan, an adviser to the OCA anti-doping committee, warned that drug cheats would be rooted out.

Up to 200 athletes have been tested so far, he said, but any positive results will take several days to come through.

“Every athlete participating in these Games must understand that they could be picked at any time,” Jegathesan warned.

“That is the best step to ensuring we have a clean event.”

There are about 12,000 athletes at the 19th Asian Games, more competitors than the Olympics, and Jegathesan admitted it would be impossible to test them all.

Instead, they will prioritise, including picking out those who break world or Asian records.

— AFP

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Asia

Foodpanda’s restructuring amid sale speculations

Food delivery giant Foodpanda, a subsidiary of Delivery Hero, announces staff layoffs in the Asia-Pacific region, aiming for increased efficiency. This move coincides with ongoing talks about potentially selling parts of its 11-year-old business.

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1 year ago

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24 September 2023

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Foodpanda, a subsidiary of Delivery Hero, is initiating undisclosed staff reductions in the Asia-Pacific region, as discussions continue regarding the potential sale of a portion of its 11-year-old food delivery business.

In a memorandum circulated to employees on 21 September, Foodpanda CEO Jakob Angele conveyed the company’s intent to become more streamlined, efficient, and agile.

Although the exact number of affected employees was not disclosed, the emphasis was on enhancing operational efficiency for the future.

No mention was made in the memo regarding the reports of Foodpanda’s potential sale in Singapore and six other Southeast Asian markets, possibly to Grab or other interested buyers.

Foodpanda had previously conducted staff layoffs in February and September 2022. These actions come as the company faces mounting pressure to achieve profitability, particularly in challenging economic conditions.

The regulatory filings of Foodpanda’s Singapore entity for the fiscal year 2022, ending on 31 Dec, indicated a loss of S$42.7 million despite generating revenue of S$256.7 million.

Angele further explained that Foodpanda intends to review its organizational structure, including both regional and country teams, with some reporting lines being reassigned to different leaders. Additionally, certain functions will be consolidated into regional teams.

Expressing regret over the challenging decisions, Angele assured affected employees of a severance package, paid gardening leave, and extended medical insurance coverage where feasible.

Foodpanda will also forego the usual waiting period for long-term incentive plan grants, and vesting will continue until the last employment date. Employees will retain all vested shares as of their last day of employment.

Foodpanda, established in 2012 and headquartered in Singapore, became a part of Delivery Hero in 2016. The company operates in 11 markets across the Asia-Pacific region, excluding its exit from the Japanese market last year.

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