The ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board

The ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board (AFSRB) is the convenor of the ASEAN Rice Trade Forum, in coordination with the ASEAN Secretariat and the Asian Development Bank. The AFSRB was created in 1979 to coordinate the ASEAN Food Security Reserve, including rice earmarked for the ASEAN Emergency Rice Reserve (AERR), to address food instability and promote food security cooperation in the region. In 2011, the AERR was embedded in the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR), which is governed by the APTERR Council. The AFSRB continues its coordinating functions, which include exchange of information on food, evaluation of the food situation and prospects in ASEAN, and making relevant policy options and corresponding recommendations. The AFSRB is composed of a representative from the agriculture, commerce or trade agency of each of the 10 ASEAN Member States. The AFSRB is supported by a Secretariat hosted by Thailands Ministry of Commerce. The AFSRB seeks to be responsive to emerging challenges to food security in a new and more volatile world. It is examining its mandate toward facilitation of rice trade, given the high importance assigned to enhanced and sustainable food trade in the ASEAN Strategic Plan of Action for Food Security. Consistent with this plan of action, the ASEAN Rice Trade Forum may ultimately lead to better coordination of food policies by all the Member States, through timely exchange of accurate information and analysis of the rice market.

Action points of the ASEAN Rice Trade Forum

To increase public awareness of the rice market situation and outlook To discuss key policy issues affecting rice trade and food security in the region To identify immediate and long-term policy measures to attain food security

For more information, contact The Secretariat ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board Ministry of Commerce 44/100 Nonthaburi 1 Road Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand Telephone +66 2 547-5136 Fax +66 2 547-4821 547-4834 Email: grn_info@moc.go.th

ASEAN Rice Trade Forum

Strengthening cooperation on regional rice trade issues

Convened by the ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board (AFSRB)

Supported by the Asian Development Bank, with financing from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction

1920 June 2012 Siem Reap, Cambodia

ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS

What is the ASEAN Rice Trade Forum?

The ASEAN Rice Trade Forum seeks to serve as a platform for promoting coherent and coordinated policy actions on rice trade to advance the goal of food security in the ASEAN region. The Forum brings together representatives of the ASEAN Member States and various stakeholder groups to collectively share, analyse and disseminate rice market information; identify areas of cooperation and policy coordination to mitigate or avoid extreme rice price volatility; and determine long-term and strategic policy reforms for the sustained development of regional rice trade.

Importance of rice trade

Rice trade has the potential to keep rice price movements within the expected range of the regions population. But trade in rice in proportion to global output has been the lowest of the top three cereals. In 2008, rice export to output ratio was estimated at only 6.15%, compared to maize, 12.35%, and wheat, 19.20%. This thin trade makes the rice market susceptible to extreme price fluctuations, such as the rice price crisis in 20072008. Sustained development of rice trade, as enunciated by the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF), is a key part of the strategy to address rice crisis situations and manage the risks of extreme rice price volatility.

The challenge: Rice for all

Despite the onrush of fast-foods and urbanisation, a bowl of rice still defines much of the way of life across Southeast Asia. The tiny grain remains not only the staple food but also the primary crop that has shaped the economies, cultures and politics of the region. Yet, food security remains a critical challenge in a region that generates 25% of world rice production but where 85 million people are malnourished. A key problem is ASEAN net rice exporters sustainable rice trade Cambodia or rather, the lack of it. Myanmar Thailand The Association of Viet Nam Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) includes the world's biggest rice ASEAN net rice importers producers and exporters, Brunei Darussalam and importers as well. The Indonesia regions rice export supply Lao PDR is nearly half of world Malaysia Philippines levels, but rice trade is Singapore low within the ASEAN.

Piloting a platform of cooperation

On 1920 June 2012, the ASEAN Rice Trade Forum gathers in Siem Reap, ancient gateway to Cambodias world-heritage site of Angkor temples.

THEME: Managing the risks of extreme rice price volatility caused by policy shocks and supply distortions through coherent and coordinated policy actions. AIMS: To discuss and test the business processes and arrangements with respect to organising a rice trade forum. These PROCESSES include evidence-based policy analysis using tried and tested tools, presenting the findings to improve the analysis and recommendations, filtering the recommendations, and forwarding the recommendations to the Special Senior Officials Meeting of AMAF.

Mandate for action

In line with this strategy, in October 2011 during its 33rd Meeting in Jakarta, AMAF endorsed the August 2011 decision of its 32nd Special Senior Officials Meeting to pilot the ASEAN Rice Trade Forum. The ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board (AFSRB) and the ASEAN Secretariat were directed to coordinate the pilot implementation of the ASEAN Rice Trade Forum with the Asian Development Bank (ADB).