Asia, home to planet’s more than half of the world’s population, will have to spend over $8 trillion by the year 2030 against present level of $4 trillion, according to Asia Food Challenge Report.
Asia is “unable to feed itself” — and needs to invest another $800 billion in the next 10 years to produce more food and meet the region’s needs, experts argue.
The population in Asia is growing, and consumers are demanding safer, healthier, and more sustainable food.
“If this investment does not materialize, we believe the industry will struggle to keep up with demand, resulting in poorer food outcomes for Asia’s population,” a report by PwC, Rabobank, and Singapore investment firm Temasek concludes.
Currently, Asia relies on imports flowing through long supply chains from the Americas, Europe and Africa to feed its burgeoning populations.
The findings are consistent with research from a 2018 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development report.
“In general, countries in Latin America, East Africa and South Asia are net food exporters, while most of the rest of Asia and Africa are deficient in food items.”
South Asia is currently home to nearly 1.8 billion people — the majority living in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh — and has been the fastest growing region for the past five years. The UN estimates that the population of the region will grow by 40 percent till 2050.
“The growing population will demand a higher supply of secure food, water, housing, and energy to maintain stability,” says George Stacey, an analyst working with Norvergence, an environmental advocacy NGO.
“This is why countries in the region need to ensure they have the policies in place to adapt to the increasing number of people living there in coming years.”
The challenge to secure food for South Asia’s growing population is exacerbated by the threats of climate change.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change soaring temperatures will affect food production across Asia differently, but the most food insecure populations are likely to be found in South Asia.
Agriculture employs around 70 percent of the region’s population
“Agriculture is the main source of income for the majority of people living in the region and is extremely vulnerable to climate change,” says Stacey. “This is to have far-reaching consequences on the stability of the countries in the region.”
Last year, the International Food Policy Research Institute noted in their Global Food Policy Report that “climate change is the most pressing issue facing [South Asia], given its implications for the food security of already vulnerable populations.”
The region is predicted to experience a two degrees Celsius temperature surge by the end of the 21st century.
But other forecasts fear a greater rise in the mercury. For examples Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research forecasts that South Asia’s climate could see a rise of 2-4 degrees C temperature between 2046 and 2065.
“Rising temperatures, flooding rivers, melting glaciers, and other extreme weather events will greatly challenge long-term food security,” says Stacey. “Extreme weather conditions will degrade a lot of the land that is currently used for agricultural and pastoral uses.”
According to the IPCC,s crop production in South Asia is expected to decrease by 30 percent — particularly rice, wheat, and maize production if climate changes take place as predicted.
“There will be a negative impact on both food production and consumption due to climate change in South Asia,” says Stacey. “Also, this will impact the eating patterns of the people in the region in the long term.”
The price of food will jump as climate change will exact a price on the region.
