Indonesia proposes Asean food bank to deal with food insecurity

Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto speaks during a public lecture at the Rajaratnam School of International Studies as former secretary general of Asean Ong Keng Yong listens on Aug 29, 2022. - JP

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network): As the world grapples with a food insecurity problem induced by rising geopolitical tension and Covid-19, Indonesia, which is expected to take over the Asean leadership next year, is proposing that countries within the grouping set up a kind of region-wide food bank.

Speaking at a public lecture in the Rajaratnam School of International Studies on Monday (Aug 29) evening, Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto said that the regional grouping needs to have a funding mechanism that will allow the shipment of basic food staples like rice from one country to another in the event of a food scarcity problem in some parts of the region.