The objective of these ASEAN Regional Guidelines on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN) Policy is to serve as general Framework guide for the ASEAN Member States (AMSs) as they endeavour to introduce, implement and develop FSN policies in accordance with the economic context and specific regulations in AMSs. The Regional Guidelines endeavour to help in the process of building stronger FSN cooperation and integration in the region, by acting as common reference guide for future cooperation to enhance FSN in ASEAN. The Regional Guidelines take into account the different development stages of FSN policies in AMSs and set out different policies and institutional options. Main objectives and benefits of FSN policy proposed in the Document include: Improve food and agricultural systems’ governance for nutrition; Improve national food security and nutrition; Improve households’ food security and nutrition; Increase agricultural productivities to alleviate poverty; Strengthen national, regional, and local capacities to formulate and implement policies and programmes to improve nutritional status. The Document indicates that AMSs may consider to give the FSN Regulatory Body the mandate to: a. Implement and enforce national FSN policy and law b. Interpret and elaborate on FSN policy and law c. Advocate FSN policy and law d. Provide advices on FSN policy and law to the different stakeholders e. Act internationally as national bodies representative of the country in international FSN matters. According to the Document, the FSN policy may have positive impact on improving policy coherence supportive to food safety with special focus on market expansion and improvement of market access for vulnerable groups through food price policies, trade policies, and agricultural land conversion. FSN policy also complements agricultural policy, rural development and poverty eradication policy and health policy. The Document suggests that the Food Security and Nutrition Policy may cover: marketing and pricing policies, trade policies, infrastructure policies, fiscal policies, poverty alleviation and social sector policies, education policy (including school feeding), etc. Poverty alleviation and social sector policies comprise all policies measures aimed at safeguarding minimum standards of living of the population, such as social safety net and targeted employment and income generation programmes. By generating income or providing transfer in cash or kind to vulnerable people, such measures play a key role in improving access to food. The coverage of national FSN policy may include also policy interventions such as agricultural research, training and extension policies, climate change adaptation and mitigation and disaster risk management, promotion of new and improved agricultural technologies, land use policies, natural resource conservation, agricultural credits, and agricultural pricing, etc.
2017-09-01