Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Dear HLPE-FSN Secretariat,

Please find the attached inputs from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF).I hope our inputs will be useful for contributing towards development of this report.

Best regards 

Tomoki Soma
 

Inputs from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF) to Questions to guide the e-consultation on the scope of the HLPE-FSN report on “Building resilient food systems”

In Japan, the Basic Law on Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas was amended this May for the first time in 25 years, intends to strengthen food security. In order to underpin this Law, the Act on Measures for Situations of Difficulty in Food Supply (provisional English name) was also promulgated this July. In addition, the MIDORI Strategy (2021),  that aims to  realize both boosting productivity potentials and sustainability in the agriculture, forestry, fisheries and food industries with innovation also reinforces the amended Basic Law. The following inputs are based on the abovementioned legal and policy frameworks in Japan, as well as global and regional cooperation  by Japan.

1. Different ways of defining resilience :

• How do different groups define resilience (e.g. Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations, the scientific / peer reviewed literature, other key rights holders)?  

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With regard to "defining resilience", the following description from “Guidelines to increase the resilience of agricultural supply chains”(published by FAO 2023) would be helpful to capture a whole picture.

・Definitions of resilience tend to describe an ideal against which existing states can be compared and used as a standard to achieve through different policies and strategies. In practice the issue is not so much whether there is resilience or not as how much resilience there is. The United Nations defines resilience as: 

“By resilience is meant the ability of individuals, households, communities, cities, institutions, systems and societies to prevent, anticipate, absorb, adapt and transform positively, efficiently and effectively when faced with a wide range of risks, while maintaining an acceptable level of functioning, without compromising long-term prospects for sustainable development, peace and security, human rights and well-being for all” (United Nations, 2017. Adopting an analytical framework on risk and resilience: a proposal for more proactive, coordinated and effective United Nations action. New York, USA).

・More operational definitions of resilience depend on the context but typically introduce the idea of either or both of the following: (i) simple continuity of function or (ii) continuity in the achievement of desired goals by resistance to shocks or by adaptation to overcome them. Much of the discussion of the impacts of COVID-19 and other shocks has focused on the resilience of food systems in their ability to deliver food and nutrition security in the face of shocks. In this case, the functional goal of ensuring food security when exposed to shocks is easily specified (Tendall et al., 2015). While food consumption may not be explicitly considered, resilience in food products’ supply chains is crucial to at least the availability, access and stability dimensions of food security. For non-food products, including raw materials of interest to developing country exporters, the functional goal of resilience is less easily specified but might include maintenance of export revenues and trade balance, government revenues, employment, incomes, growth and poverty reduction, as well as food security and nutrition. Whatever the products concerned, the interests of producers as well as consumers should not be overlooked. For producers, the minimization of losses may be the key consideration in defining resilience, and this may not be entirely captured by simply requiring continuity of supply chain functions. 

・Continuity is the bridge between resilience and sustainability. Resilience implies a capacity to continue to function and to achieve goals in spite of exposure to shocks while sustainability implies a capacity to continue to function in the future. In the face of disturbances and shocks, therefore, resilience is a necessary condition for sustainability. As the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction pointed out, disasters undermine efforts to achieve sustainable development and compromise progress towards greater sustainability (UNISDR, 2015). Continuity of function in supply chains may not always be a desirable feature of resilience without also referring to costs and efficiency, as trade-offs may be involved. Diversity and redundancy, for example, may improve resilience but may also reduce supply chain efficiency and raise costs. Not all resilience is necessarily desirable, and unqualified continuity may therefore also not be welcome where there is a need to overcome “undesirable resilience” obstructing necessary adaptations and transformations (Oliver et al., 2018). Based on the considerations above, a working definition of agricultural supply chain resilience with general applicability might be: 

“The ability of the supply chain to continue to fulfil its functions efficiently when exposed to disturbances and shocks based on its capacities to anticipate and absorb those that cannot otherwise be prevented, and to recover from them by adapting the nature of their behavior and practices or transforming them so as to build back better”.

• What are the main types of vulnerabilities facing food supply chains and what are the potential consequences for food system actors (including input suppliers, food producers, traders, food system workers and consumers), considering different kinds of potential shocks?

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• Labor shortage in agricultural production and food supply chains can be a type of vulnerabilities In Japan’s case, number of farmers are declining in accordance with the aging society. Also, labor shortage in logistics, such as track drivers delivering agricultural product from farm to retailers is another example of our challenge.
• High/volatile energy prices is another challenge.. Japan has also been affected by a recent price hike  of food and agricultural inputs led by global high/volatile energy prices. 
• Extreme weather events from climate change, such as heat waves, drought, heavy rain, typhoon, flood and earthquake will severely affects globally and locally.
• Plant pests, animal diseases, zoonotic infections, food safety and hygiene issue is another challenge we need to take into account.. 

 

• What kind of inequities and power imbalances are present in food systems and how do they affect resilient FSN and especially for those groups facing multidimensional and intersectional aspects of inequality and vulnerability?

(No input/information)

• What resilience frameworks are there that should be explored? 

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• The following three pillars need to be considered in  conceptual frameworks for building resilient food systems. Improving agricultural productivity in sustainable manner.
• Using existing domestic agricultural resources at maximum. 
• Securing stable and diverse procurement sources of food and agricultural inputs. 

 

• What are the determinants, assets and skills that lead to resilience at different scales (household, community, national, regional)? 

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In addition to the above three pillars, the followings would also become the determinants, assets and skills that lead to resilience at different scales.

・All forms of innovation should be available for all people at different scales.

・Appropriate legal frameworks contributing to building resilient food systems.

• How can resilience be evaluated and/or measured at different scales (household, community, national, regional)?

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The amended Basic Act on Food, Agriculture, and Rural Areas of Japan stipulates evaluation and/or measurement for securing food security such as establishment and publication of numerical targets for food self-sufficiency and other contributions to food security. The concrete indicator to be developed.

• What indicators would measure that food systems are resilient across their different components (e.g., consumption, supply chains, retail and production)?

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The indicator of SDGs 2.4.1 “Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture” would be useful, in the context of environmental sustainability.

For your information, Japan launched the MIDORI Strategy in 2021, as a national pathway, for realizing both boosting productivity potentials and sustainability in the agriculture  and food industries with innovation. Based on the strategy, Japan aims to achieve 14 targets of KPI, including net zero CO2 Emission from fossil fuels combustion in the agriculture, 50% reduction in risk-weighted use of chemical pesticides, 30% reduction in chemical fertilizers use, increase in organic farming to 1 million hectares and so on by 2050.

• Which and where are the weak points in global food systems in terms of ensuring the resilience of food security and nutrition? 

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・Increasing marine transportation costs and insurance costs.

・Increasing labor costs of food systems.

・Export restriction measures in the agricultural, food and fertilizer sectors.

・High/Volatile energy prices. 

・Geopolitics in main food exporting countries and choke points et al. 

 

• What evidence bases are there to measure resilience and the effectiveness of interventions?

(No input/information)

2. Understanding what we must be prepared for – the nature of shocks:

• What types of shock are more relevant to food systems and which ones are more likely to affect FSN? What type of shocks have been under-researched, especially regarding their impact on FSN and food systems? 

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The shocks more likely to affect FSN would vary, including: 

・High/volatile energy prices 

・High/volatile fertilizer prices

・Export restriction measures in the agricultural, food and fertilizer sector impact

・Climate change

・Biodiversity loss 

 

• How might different kinds of shocks (e.g. climatic, social, financial or political) affect different regions and different aspects of the food system (e.g. production, processing or distribution)? 

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・Climate change will impact on global agricultural commodity production, trade and prices in the mid-long term. According to FAO, if temperature continue to rise at their current rate, 10% of farmland could be lost by 2050, which would put more pressure on food access.

・Increase in fertilizer price impact on global agricultural production, trade and prices.

 

• How to balance preparing for short-term shocks (e.g. droughts and floods) versus the need to ensure food systems fit within planetary boundaries and long-term sustainability of systems?

(No input/information) 

• Are there ways of enhancing resilience to unknown and unforeseen shocks? 

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・In order to prepare unknown and unforeseen shocks, increase predictability and transparency are the key. In the context of market situation, following schemes will help each country to prepare those.

-Reinforcing food and agricultural market information by the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) and other platforms.

-Strengthen scenario analysis utilizing OECD-FAO Agricultural outlook and other global agricultural market projections in the mid-long term. 

 ・The safety net such as crop insurance is also the way of enhancing resilience to unknown and unforeseen shocks.

 

3. Understanding and mitigating trade-offs:

• Are there trade-offs between increasing adaptation to one type of shock and creating other types of fragility?

(No input/information)

• What is the impact on resilience programming of different understandings of food security and nutrition (e.g. focus on nutrition, the four pillars, the six dimensions of food security, etc)?

(No input/information)

 

4. Existing programmes and policies to promote resilience – a gap analysis of current strategies and recommendations:

• How are countries preparing for food systems resilience today?  What are the main policies and documents that can provide information on these national level plans?

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・In Japan, the Basic Law on Food and Agriculture and Rural Areas, which governs agricultural policies in Japan, was amended this May for the first time in 25 years in order to intend to strengthen food security. Based on the amended Law, in addition to the food self-sufficiency ration, the government is set new targets for other matters related to ensuring food security, identify and define issues that farmers and other stake holders should address to improve these issues, and promote measures to address these challenges. In particular, the government has set new Articles to implement or promote measures for, such as, ensuring smooth access to food and imports of agricultural products; preparation for unexpected situations; improvement of productivity by utilizing advanced technologies; improvement of added value of agricultural products; promotion of reduction of environmental impact; prevention of outbreaks of infectious diseases; promotion of conversion of agricultural inputs and their raw materials in dependent on imports to high-quality alternatives to be produced domestically; promotion of business activities to utilize local resources.

・ In addition, as a related law to the revised Basic Law on Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas, the Act on Measures for Situations of Difficulty in Food Supply (provisional English name) was enacted on June 14, 2024. This law was enacted in consideration of the unstable situation of global food supply and demand and trade due to the increase in world population, climate change, and the outbreak and spread of plant pests and livestock diseases, etc. According to this law, at the stage when signs of food supply shortage are detected, a government headquarters headed by the Prime Minister will be established, and the relevant ministries and agencies will cooperate to take the necessary measures to prevent the occurrence and escalation of the situations.

・In April 2023, Japan hosted the G7 Miyazaki Agriculture Ministers' Meeting under its chairmanship to discuss and summarize to make agriculture and food systems strong and sustainable as the following three points, which was also mentioned in the “Hiroshima Action Statement for Resilient Global Food Security”, a leaders’ level document with invited countries at the G7 Hiroshima Summit 2023:

• Improving agricultural productivity in sustainable manner.
• Using existing domestic agricultural resources at maximum.
• Making all forms of innovation available for all people.

 

• Are there current or recent partnerships / initiatives proven to contribute to building resilience? What are the lessons learned? 
  • Paddy water management technologies, such as alternate wetting and drying (in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam) that increase or maintain productivity while mitigating methane emission. 

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・Japan launched a project “Accelerating application of agricultural technologies which enhance production potentials and ensure sustainable food systems in the Asia-Monsoon region”. This research project under the name of “Green Asia” is implemented by the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS).

URL:https://www.jircas.go.jp/en/greenasia 

・In this project, JIRCAS with counterpart organizations have conducted joint research on three scalable agricultural technologies, which increase production potential and ensure sustainability. The effectiveness of these technologies has been evaluated in the project sites in the countries in the Asia-Monsoon region.

・These technologies are

• BNI (Biological Nitrification Inhibition)-enabled wheat (in Nepal) that maintains yield level as the ordinal varieties under significantly reduced nitrogen fertilizer application.
• Differential systems to control rice blast diseases (in Bangladesh and Vietnam) that can reduce the use of agricultural chemicals.

・Although the project is in progress and not yet finished (as of June 2024), so far, we have already obtained good evidence which indicates these technologies can be used in the tested sites. We learned that it is imperative to work closely with not only research counterparts, but also government officials of the Asia-Monsoon countries who are involved in the dissemination efforts of the project results.

• Could you provide success stories and best practices examples that can be applied to other locations?

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・Japan launched a project “Accelerating application of agricultural technologies which enhance production potentials and ensure sustainable food systems in the Asia-Monsoon region”. This research project under the name of “Green Asia” is implemented by the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS).

URL:https://www.jircas.go.jp/en/greenasia

・In this project, JIRCAS has developed "Technology catalog Contributing to Production Potential and Sustainability in the Asia-Monsoon Region. This is a compilation of applicable technologies which were developed in Japan or through international collaboration over the past 10 years and are expected to contribute to the establishment of sustainable food systems in the region. Technology Catalog is uploaded to the Green Asia website within JIRCAS website and from the end of March 2023 to the end of March 2024, more than 3,500 accesses and more than 1,800 downloads have been observed. Technology Catalog is now introduced on the websites of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub and the ASEAN Secretariat.

・JIRCAS made a significant effort for disseminating Technology Catalog, taking various opportunities. It is expected that the catalog will serve as a reference to various stake holders in the Asia-Monsoon region. 

https://www.jircas.go.jp/en/greenasia/techcatalog

https://www.unfoodsystemshub.org/latest-updates/news/detail/new-technol…

https://asean.org/asean-deliberates-regional-initiatives-on-sustainable…

・The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on food and agriculture have been felt all over the world. As the pandemic unfolded, considerable attention began to be paid to the resilience of agricultural supply chains to COVID-19-related shocks, as well as to natural and human-induced shocks more generally. FAO developed the "Guidelines to increase the resilience of agricultural supply chains" funded by Japan, which are intended for policymakers and other stakeholders who need a broad grasp of the concepts, issues and possible approaches involved. 

https://openknowledge.fao.org/items/73b0d0f6-611c-4f76-a2cb-d21b119e06f9

(Efforts to strengthen resilience to risks need to be based on a thorough analysis of the exposure and vulnerability of supply chains to them, and on a cost–benefit assessment of damages versus interventions. In addition, not all decisions can be based on commercial and economic considerations, as political priorities will also play a role. Governments may take the lead in setting policy priorities based on assessments of risk and resilience capacities, but it is actors throughout the supply chain who are directly affected and who need to consider business strategies and interventions to be able to adapt and transform for the future. Governments play an essential role by supporting the efforts of supply chain businesses and by building general resilience through establishing an appropriate policy and institutional environment, and through the investments they make in physical infrastructure, in putting social protection in place, and in facilitating and promoting collaboration and cooperation. Enhancing general resilience against future risks is important as new risks emerge, and the frequency and intensity of known risks grow with climate change and increasing pressure on natural resources.)

• Is the currently portfolio of resilience programming well aligned to different types of foreseen and unforeseen shocks, scales, or parts of the food system? 

(No input/information)

• What gaps are there in the current portfolio of country adaptation / resilience policies? 
• What types of policy changes are needed to enhance the resilience of local, regional and global food systems, including with respect to global trading rules and considering inclusive and equitable employment opportunities, environmental sustainability, access to healthy diets and human rights?

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・In 2022, 30 exporting countries imposed export restriction measures in the agriculture and food sectors. Most of these policies restricting agricultural commodities and food exports are implemented to ensure domestic food security. However, policies restricting exports cause food security risks of availability and stability through higher international prices and volatility, especially in least developed countries that depend on food imports and have higher POUs. Therefore, securing domestic food security in one country may conflict with domestic food security in other countries.

・A decline in domestic agricultural commodity prices in the country imposing such restriction may cause risks of decreasing and destabilizing agricultural production by affecting agricultural investments and farm incomes in the mid to long term. Although these measures may focus on specific products in a particular country, they can cause a domino effect that induces similar policies to affect a wider range of countries and products. Therefore, it is important to regulate countries imposing such policies at an early stage. However, we argue that not all export restriction measures should be regulated, and it is important to identify countries that should be restricted or allowed to conduct these measures based on POUs. The current FAO food security indicators do not fully cover the risks to global food security posed by policies restricting exports of agricultural and food products. Therefore, we advocate that new indicators should cover the impact of export restriction measures on caloric intake by the importing country as an important risk in the availability and stability of food security. It is also crucial to introduce similar indicators caused by export restriction measures of fertilizers as food security risks (Koizumi et al., 2024).

Tatsuji Koizumi, Gen Furuhashi and Takumi Sakuyama (2024) “Impact of Export Restriction Measures in the Agricultural and Food Sector on Global Food Security” Japan Agricultural Research Quarterly, Publishing. 

Quoting from Recommendations from “G7 experts to address gaps in available information and analysis on the impacts of export restrictions”. (Released in March 2024)

・Empirical data and analysis on the use, and the impact on global markets, of various forms of export restrictions, including quotas, bans, and taxes, are inadequate. Research on the impacts of export restrictions on the country which imposes them, including those of a long-term and indirect nature, also warrants more attention. Addressing these gaps would enable countries considering introducing export restrictions to identify the least disruptive forms.

・Additional research is also needed to identify alternative policy options to export restrictions, including various social safety net programs, which would minimize the negative impacts of price shocks and supply disruptions on vulnerable populations, on global markets, and on sustainable resource use.

・There is a continuing need to improve the accuracy and timeliness of information on the international food and agriculture market situation and related policy measures. In this respect, further analysis is warranted of options to strengthen both the role of AMIS and the effectiveness of WTO provisions on country notification of export restrictive measures. This is essential to maintain trust in a rules-based multilateral trading system.

G7 Joint Discussion Project Final Report under Japanese Presidency 2023. 

https://www.maff.go.jp/e/policies/inter_relate/attach/pdf/240319-3.pdf

• What is the role of states in building more resilient food systems, including with respect to providing infrastructure, regulatory measures, international policy coordination and policy coherence?

(Inputs)

Promoting measures contributing to building resilient food systems comprehensively and systematically, by stipulating basic principles for building resilient food systems and the basic matters for realizing them, and by clarifying the responsibilities of the national government, local governments and other stakeholders, thereby promoting the stability and improvement of the lives of the people and the sound development of the national economy.

• What measures are necessary to incentivize private sector strategies and investments that promote supply chain resilience?

・It would be useful to discuss with the FAO Informal Private Sector Advisory Group (PSAG) to learn advices for the possible measures.

・ELPS (“Enhanced Linkages between Private sector and Small-scale producers” implemented by IFAD), which was an initiative of the G7 Miyazaki Agriculture Ministers' Meeting in 2023 and taken up as a stream of work on food security and food systems in the UN Secretary-General's Report “Making food systems work for people and planet UN Food Systems Summit +2”, could be one of the solutions.