The Asia-Pacific region is undergoing rapid change and the food systems1 that produce and deliver food to its consumers are not exempt from these trends. Some of the challenges confronting these systems are longstanding and generally familiar, but remain important nonetheless. For example, regional and global populations continue to grow and concomitantly the demand for food, placing further stresses on our already heavily burdened natural resources.

But in addition to these challenges that have existed since at least the time of Malthus, rapid change has brought with it newer trends in regional food systems. Sustained economic growth has led to ageing populations, greater urbanization, increased international trade and a structural transformation of regional economies, all of which have profound implications for food systems. Ageing populations, especially in rural areas, have implications for labour supply and technology adoption. Greater urbanization has led to reduced physical activity and an increased demand for convenience that has increasingly important implications for nutritional outcomes such as obesity. This urbanization has also led to an increased reliance of farm households on remittances and in some cases, a feminization of farming. Increased international trade due to lower costs of transportation and communication and lower trade barriers has increased the variety of foods available to consumers and placed additional pressures on farmers to be competitive. Structural transformation towards other sectors of the economy (industry and services) has deeply affected the livelihood strategies of farm households and the time they spend on farming. All of these changes have taken place against a background of increased inequality, rapid growth in the spread of information and communication technologies and a changing climate.