Organizer: ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute
Description:
The global ripple effect from the Russia-Ukraine conflict and subsequent economic sanctions imposed on Russia have led to soaring energy prices and geopolitical tensions. The conflict has exacerbated yet another global existential threat: food insecurity. Together, Russia and Ukraine contribute a significant proportion of the world’s grain and fertiliser exports, of which Asia is a major buyer. These commodities have already leapt up to 40% in price due to shipping disruptions, while the upcoming crop planting season remains uncertain. Southeast Asia is already feeling the pinch—livestock industries short on animal feed, beloved Indomie noodles disappearing from shelves, and crop commodities yielding lower profit margins.
With food security already affected by climate change and the pandemic, how have governments in the region responded to this crisis, and how do their strategies compare to others in the Asia Pacific region? Though alternative markets may be explored, how do climate impacts affect their potential to fill the gap in global exports? Will the compounded effects of the pandemic, climate change, and de-globalisation dramatically change the food security landscape in Southeast Asia? This webinar will seek to answer these questions and provide an overview of how the Russia-Ukraine conflict exacerbates ongoing food security concerns in Southeast Asia.
Speakers:
Professor Paul Teng is Adjunct Senior Fellow, Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, concurrently Managing Director, NIE International Pte. Ltd and Senior Associate Fellow of ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. He is also Senior Adviser (AgriFood) to A*STAR Singapore, and additionally advises several agtech startups. Paul previously held leadership positions in the WorldFish Centre, the International Rice Research Institute, Monsanto Company and U.S. universities. Professor Paul Teng is internationally recognized for his expertise in tropical agrifood systems and food security, with a focus on smallholder crops like rice. He has researched and taught in North America, Africa and Asia, and has published over ten books and over two hundred technical papers. Paul has been recognized for his work through the Eriksson Prize in Plant Pathology, election as Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences and other professional societies and conferred an Honorary D.Sc. from Murdoch University, Australia.
Genevieve Donnellon-May is a master’s candidate in Water Science, Policy, and Management at the University of Oxford, England. She previously worked as a research assistant at the Institute of Water Policy, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, and at the Asian Institute for Policy Studies, South Korea. Genevieve completed her undergraduate and honours studies at the University of Melbourne where she received the New Colombo Plan Scholarship, Melbourne Global Scholars Award, and a Chinese Government Scholarship.
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