Bali, Indonesia. The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), co-organized the second Joint Event aimed at enhancing the effective implementation of the ASEAN Guidelines on Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture, and Forestry (ASEAN RAI). This event, supported by the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, with financial support from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and the Swedish International Cooperation Agency (SIDA), brings together AIPA Member Parliaments and representatives from the private sector, civil society, and academia to foster collaboration on promoting responsible investment in these critical sectors.

The event builds on the momentum generated by the adoption of the ASEAN RAI by ASEAN Member States in 2018, a crucial tool for advancing agricultural value chains and investments across the region. The ASEAN RAI aim to promote equitable, sustainable, and scalable investments in food, agriculture, and forestry, emphasizing the need for clear legal, institutional, and regulatory frameworks to mitigate negative outcomes and enhance cultural, social, and ecological values.

Recognizing the pivotal role of parliaments, the 44th AIPA General Assembly in 2023 adopted a Resolution on Encouraging the Application of the ASEAN RAI. This resolution underscores the importance of parliamentary action in supporting the implementation of these guidelines and highlights the practical parliamentary handbook, "Promoting the Adoption of ASEAN Guidelines on Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture and Forestry," as a valuable resource for AIPA parliamentarians. Building on this foundation, AIPA, in partnership with FAO and IISD, is developing a RAI Parliamentary Implementation Framework. This framework, grounded in the pillars outlined in the handbook, seeks to provide clear and actionable guidance for legislators, focusing on law-making, budgeting and financing, capacity-building, advocacy, and monitoring.

Following the successful first Joint Event in April 2024 in Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic, the second Joint Event aimed to stimulate dialogue and collaboration between parliamentarians and other stakeholders and finalize the draft RAI Parliamentary Implementation Framework. The event featured stakeholder dialogues to gather diverse perspectives, foster collaboration and enhance understanding of the roles different stakeholders play in promoting responsible investment.

“Aside from the huge demographic pressure to feed, we are facing daunting challenges caused by climate change, where it has already raised a more alarming situation with regards to the change of weather patterns and the rise of extreme weather patterns, environmental and water resources scarcity and more. If we are going to advance the food, agriculture, and forestry (FAF) sectors, there should be one umbrella law, an omnibus, to address all FAF matters comprehensively, including agricultural investment good governance,” said Dr. Fadli Zon, Chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia and Chair of the Indonesian Farmers Association.

“Our initiatives are closely aligned with the AIPA Statutes and based on the resolutions adopted in consensus by AIPA Member Parliaments. One such significant resolution is the one adopted last year on Encouraging the Application of the ASEAN RAI. Today’s event builds on this foundation. ASEAN RAI is a strategic framework aimed at fostering sustainable and responsible investment practices across our region. The participation of parliamentarians is vital in bringing these guidelines to life. By inviting representatives from various sectors, including academia, private sector, civil society organizations, and local communities, we aim to strengthen our collective efforts and ensure comprehensive engagement from all stakeholders,” said Ar. Siti Rozaimeriyanty Dato Haji Abdul Rahman, Secretary General of AIPA.

"Sustainable food systems are fundamental to the food security and livelihoods of the small farmers in ASEAN region, however, they are facing numerous dichotomies, including climate change, land degradation, and socio-economic inequalities. A fundamental vehicle to address these challenges is to increase investments in agriculture, specifically targeting the smallholder family farmers who produce nearly 80 percent of the food in the region. The parliamentarians play a critical role here, especially by enacting legislation, scrutinizing government actions, and allocating budgetary resources", said Rajendra Aryal, FAO Representative in Indonesia and Timor Leste and FAO liaison officer for ASEAN.

The draft RAI Parliamentary Framework will be tabled at the upcoming 45th AIPA General Assembly in October 2024 for consideration and adoption. This significant milestone underscores AIPA's collective commitment to advancing responsible investment in food, agriculture, and forestry across the ASEAN region. The collaboration between AIPA, FAO, and IISD, along with the engagement of diverse stakeholders, sets a strong foundation for sustainable development, ensuring that future investments are equitable, inclusive, and environmentally sound.