SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
Figure II‑3 – FAO index of real food prices, 1961 to 2008
Index 300
250
200
150
100
50 FAO real food price index FAO food price index 0
1961
1966
1971
1976
1981
1986
1991
1996
2001
2006
Source: FAO (2008). The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2008: High food prices and food security – threats and opportunities (Rome, FAO).
Security through trade
The Asia-Pacific region has 25 net food-importing countries; six are low-income and 11 are lower middle-income countries (Table II‑5). Much of this trade takes place within the region. Viet Nam, for example, is a major exporter of rice to the Philippines and Malaysia, while Thailand is a major exporter to China and Singapore. China, for its part is a major source of meat and fruit (Table II‑6).
Food availability depends not just on production, however, but also on international trade. A number of countries have at times aimed for national food self-sufficiency. However, in many cases, a more realistic objective is what is termed food self-reliance – which means being able to earn sufficient foreign exchange from other exports so as to be able to import food.
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