New Report Explores How Multi-sector Collaboration and Business Can Accelerate Food and Nutrition Security Outcomes in Southeast Asia

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SINGAPORE, June 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Businesses, governments and civil society need to forge trust, find alignment and foster collaboration and coordination to secure the future of food and nutrition, as food systems in Southeast Asia and the world hang in delicate balance.

The conclusion comes from a new report by Forum for the Future and FrieslandCampina, "Addressing food and nutrition security through partnerships and strong business leadership", launched today. The Report was produced in consultation with representatives from the entire food value chain, including agri-food multinational companies, crop producers, financial institutions, retailers, academia, nutritionists, and international and non-governmental organisations. For the first time, non-traditional stakeholders such as logistics and packaging companies were also invited to participate in the conversation.

The Report is being published when more than 60 million people will join the consuming class in ASEAN over the next five years, placing greater demands on food and resources[1]. By 2030, the world needs to produce 50% more food for a rapidly growing population with a shrinking agricultural workforce and depleting natural resources[2]. At the same time, society has to grapple with the dual burden of malnutrition.

This presents a complex systemic challenge, where multiple solutions from multiple stakeholders are required up and down the food value chain. The Report calls for collaboration and alignment among these stakeholders to build on what is already happening. One of the key goals is to find a good practical place to start and pursue a wider systems approach.

Piet Hilarides, Chief Operating Officer, FrieslandCampina Asia said: "As a leading global dairy co-operative, we work with farmers and other value chain partners in Southeast Asia to provide high-quality, sustainable milk and dairy products to our consumers.

"We are mindful that we are on the cusp of a new era and there is an urgent need to take action. We have a responsibility to lead the industry, to be part of the solution to our future's food and nutrition security, and are proud to have commissioned this report to accelerate efforts in achieving food and nutrition security in Southeast Asia."

In May 2015, FrieslandCampina and its partner, Forum for the Future, convened a roundtable comprising of 21 stakeholders from agri-food multinational companies, crop producers, retailers, financial institutions, logistics, packaging, academia, nutritionists, and international and non-governmental organisations in Singapore. Together, the group identified four key areas where businesses can and are already acting on food and nutrition security that can be scaled up:

• Agricultural sustainability -- Enabling sustainable production with improved land management, biodiversity conservation and strengthening the livelihoods of farmers.
• Supply chain infrastructure -- Identifying areas of waste, inefficiency, bottlenecks as well as opportunities to act through the entire food supply chain in the region.
• Product innovation for nutrition -- Ensuring the development of healthier products and improving access to more affordable staple and locally grown fresh produce.
• Promoting healthier eating and lifestyle choices -- Shifting consumer behaviour so that consumers can purchase healthier foods, live more active lifestyles and reduce food waste.

To further accelerate progress in these areas, the group offered three main recommendations for systems change on food and nutrition security:

1. For businesses and groups of businesses working on smallholder agricultural sustainability to coordinate their efforts. 
2. For businesses in logistics, packaging and information and communications technologies (ICT) to work with those in the food supply chain to optimise efficiency and reduce waste.
3. For companies, government bodies and NGOs to create a shared approach to engaging the consumer on better diet and lifestyle choices.

The group recognises that these are merely the start of a conversation, and the challenges, solutions and recommendations warrant further investigation. The next steps include eliciting feedback on where the greatest potential and appetite for collaboration is in the region and developing the recommendations with the key stakeholders and experts who would need to be involved.

FrieslandCampina and Forum for the Future invite all interested stakeholders to get in touch if they are interested in working together to see business accelerate scale in better food and nutrition security outcomes in Southeast Asia.

Ariel Muller, Director, Asia Pacific, Forum for the Future, said: "This report truly affirms and underscores the ability of multi-stakeholder partnerships to address complex sustainability challenges, and we believe that together we can reimagine the value created across food networks and restore resilience within the system.

"We hope that this report brings about meaningful and credible contributions to strengthen and advance food and nutrition security outcomes in Southeast Asia."

Mr Hilarides added: "Food and nutrition security is a complex issue; no one entity can solve this global problem on its own. The roundtable highlighted that a collective effort among different players is necessary in order to bring about change. Innovation will be the core driver to leverage entrepreneurial mindsets in order to find success in scaling up and accelerating solutions.

"We intend to share this report widely and invite any business involved in the food value chain in Southeast Asia to use this material to explore food and nutrition security, and find a way to contribute to it -- in a way that builds, rather than duplicates, what is already happening."

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About Royal FrieslandCampina

Every day Royal FrieslandCampina provides millions of consumers all over the world with food that is rich in valuable nutrients. With annual revenue of 11.3 billion euros, FrieslandCampina is one of the world's five largest dairy companies, supplying consumer and professional products, as well as ingredients and half-finished products to manufacturers of infant & toddler nutrition, the food industry and the pharmaceutical sector around the world. FrieslandCampina has offices in 32 countries and almost 22,000 employees, and its products are available in more than 100 countries. The Company is fully owned by Zuivelcooperatie FrieslandCampina U.A, with 19,487 member dairy farmers in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium -- making it one of the world's largest dairy cooperatives.

For more information please visit: www.frieslandcampina.com

About FrieslandCampina Consumer Products Asia

FrieslandCampina's Consumer Products Asia business group consists of operating companies that are active in the consumer products segment in Asia. FrieslandCampina has acquired excellent positions in many countries with strong brands and a wide range of products. These activities have a long and rich history. The export of dairy from Western Europe began back in the 1920s. The range of long shelf life products has expanded significantly: from milk powder, condensed milk, infant and children's nutrition to dairy drinks, yoghurts and desserts.  FrieslandCampina has operating companies in mainland China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and the Philippines. In Asia we market brands that have acquired strong positions. Dutch Lady is legendary in Malaysia and Vietnam, Foremost is a leading brand in Thailand, Frisian Flag is widely known in Indonesia.

About Forum for the Future

Forum for the Future is a sustainability non-profit that works globally with business, government and others to solve complex challenges. We aim to transform the critical systems that we all depend on, such as food and energy, to make them fit for the challenges of the 21st century. We have 18 years' experience inspiring new thinking, building creative partnerships and developing practical innovations to change our world. We share what we learn from our work so that others can become more sustainable.

Our mission is to create to a sustainable food system that gives everyone access to healthy, nutritious food whilst protecting and restoring the natural environment. We believe that sustainable nutrition is a hugely powerful guiding principle for accelerating overall progress on our food system challenges. We work to create change in the food system in three ways: by rethinking how value is created across food networks, by reconnecting people with their food, and by restoring resilience within the system. Through our partnerships and multi-stakeholder alliances we develop practical solutions to deliver the scale of change we need. Forum for the Future is a non-profit company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales.

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