ASEAN Food Security: The Critical Need for Climate Adaptation Alongside Mitigation

This article discusses the urgency of prioritizing climate adaptation strategies for food security in ASEAN nations, alongside mitigation efforts. Despite being minor global contributors to emissions, AMS face severe climate impacts affecting agriculture. Adaptation measures, including crop diversification and climate-smart agriculture, are essential to ensuring resilience and food security against climate challenges in the region.

To maintain food security in Southeast Asia, adaptation to climate change must be prioritized alongside emission mitigation strategies. Following the Paris Agreement of 2015, all ASEAN Member States (AMS), except the Philippines, submitted Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and set net-zero emission goals for their agrifood sectors, primarily focusing on mitigation through emissions reductions. However, given the inadequate results from global mitigation efforts, adaptation strategies are essential to address food security effectively.

Despite AMS being minor contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, they face severe climate change impacts, including droughts, erratic rainfall patterns, and rising sea levels. These changes have adversely affected agricultural production and crop yields, notably in rice and oil palm. Additionally, higher temperatures have harmed farm labor conditions, leading to resource degradation and posing risks to food safety and the entire food value chain. As emissions continue to rise, these agricultural challenges will intensify.

While mitigation measures are necessary, they are insufficient alone to ensure food security in the region. Thus, AMS should focus on implementing adaptation policies that strengthen nutritional security and resilience. The connection between climate resilience and food security is intricate, and climate policies may sometimes produce unintended negative effects.

One common adaptation strategy involves diversifying into more resilient crops. Nations like Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand are incorporating crops such as millet and pulses into their climate plans, while the Philippines promotes “adlai rice” to better withstand drought conditions. Nevertheless, crop diversification cannot entirely fulfill the need for traditional staples, meaning countries may remain reliant on rice imports, which challenges self-sufficiency objectives.

In conclusion, addressing food security in Southeast Asia necessitates a balanced approach that combines both mitigation and adaptation strategies to effectively respond to climate change. While AMS must continue progress on emission reductions, immediate attention to adaptation measures is crucial for safeguarding agricultural productivity and resilience in the face of ongoing climate challenges. The upcoming ASEAN Summits and COP30 present significant opportunities for the region to lead proactive adaptation initiatives in agriculture, thereby enhancing food security and sustainability.

Original Source: fulcrum.sg