As the global food system is increasingly dependent on the movement of food from a few major “breadbasket” exporting regions to food-deficit areas around the world, the reliance on specific shipping routes intensifies the pressure on global food security. – REUTERSPIXrecent years, global food security has suffered from overlapping crises caused by conflicts, geopolitical tensions, climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in severe food supply disruptions.
Longer shipping durations also put perishable foods at risk while shipping disruptions such as changes to shipping schedules, strain cargo handling and road transport sectors cause major delays.For food-exporting and importing countries, challenges loom.
The most impacted – the lower-income and middle-income households – may also face heightened malnutrition risks, threatening to reverse decades of development progress in Asia.The US announced plans in late December 2023 for a task force to counter the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea but immediate relief for trade disruptions and food price inflation is unlikely.
For the many net food importing countries in Asia, aside from increasing national stockpiles, governments and policymakers should diversify sources to mitigate supply chain disruptions. A good example is Singapore, which, while importing over 90% of its food, has reduced vulnerability to food price and supply fluctuations through contact with more than 180 countries and regions.
Initiatives such as food relief, cash support and food voucher programmes for lower-income households can help alleviate the burden. Subsidies and tax measures, which can provide temporary relief, may also be considered. Increased intra-regional trade can reduce regional food import dependency while also increasing regional food accessibility, market stability and economic development.
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