QUEZON CITY, (PIA) — Food security ministers from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies have reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing food security by focusing on combatting food loss and waste.
During the 9th APEC Ministerial Meeting held in Trujillo, Peru recently, Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Roger Navarro represented Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and emphasized the critical importance of preventing food loss and waste, particularly in the Philippines.
“Food security has consistently been a top priority in the Philippines, where the prevention and reduction of food loss and waste are crucial,” Navarro said.
During the meeting, which included participation from representatives of 20 other APEC member economies, ministers endorsed the APEC Food Security Roadmap Towards 2030. This roadmap highlights the need for open, fair, transparent, productive, sustainable, resilient, innovative, and inclusive agri-food systems.
The officials acknowledged that the APEC Leaders’ 2023 declaration recognized the necessity for tailored agricultural sustainability approaches, moving away from one-size-fits-all solutions.
For the Philippines, Navarro outlined ongoing initiatives by the Department of Agriculture, including the development of advanced post-harvest technologies, improved storage facilities, better packaging solutions, and enhanced distribution systems aimed at supporting farmers, fisherfolk, and stakeholders across the food value chain.
The meeting, attended by Peruvian President Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra and chaired by Peru’s Minister of Agrarian Development and Irrigation Angel Manuel Manero Campos, saw ministers endorse the Principles for Preventing and Reducing Food Loss and Waste in the APEC Region.
These principles are designed to foster multisectoral, context-specific, voluntary, and science-based approaches to tackle food loss and waste.
Key focus areas include strengthening institutional frameworks, promoting public-private partnerships, encouraging research and innovation, enhancing capacity building, and improving data collection.
Recognizing the ongoing challenges of food insecurity and malnutrition, the ministers referred to the 2024 State of Food Security and Nutrition Report, which indicated that up to 757 million people faced hunger in 2023.
They pledged to support access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food while addressing climate change and promoting biodiversity conservation.
The meeting marked a pivotal moment for APEC as it reinforced collective efforts to address food security challenges and implement effective strategies for reducing food loss and waste, complementing initiatives to promote a circular economy in the region. (GLG/PIA-NCR)
