Asia-Pacific countries review progress in promoting underutilized food crops

Beijing - Agriculture and commerce ministry officials from 15 Asia-Pacific countries met here today to review regional progress of a Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) initiative to promote underutilized food crops to build stronger, more sustainable farming and food systems in the region.

“We have gone from strength to strength,” said Ken Shimizu, Deputy Regional Representative at the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, speaking at the fourth meeting of the Regional Organizing Group (ROG) for FAO ‘s One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) Initiative.  

Launched five years ago, OCOP helps countries promote efficient and sustainable cultivation of Special Agricultural Products (SAPs)—underutilized food crops linked to a particular place, culture and farming tradition—while improving incomes of smallholder SAP producers and putting healthy and diverse diets on the consumer’s plate.

China is playing a key role in global OCOP implementation “by sharing knowledge, innovation and practical solutions with countries across the region and beyond” through the FAO–China South–South Cooperation Programme and its “experience in developing geographically distinctive agricultural products”, Carlos Aldeco Reyes, FAO Representative in China and DPR Korea told the meeting.

At the meeting, the first OCOP Centre of Excellence was launched at one of China’s premier land and geographical research institutes, the Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGSNRR-CAS).

The Institute plays a pivotal role in the region’s OCOP work through application of its innovative geoenvironmental traceability GIES technology to the cultivation of these special agricultural products to enhance their appeal to high-end consumers —supporting FAO’s Four Betters vision of Better Production, Better Nutrition, Better Environment, and a Better Life, leaving no one behind.

Environment “is the foundation upon which better production, better nutrition, and better lives must be built,” Prof. Fubao Sun, Director-General, IGSNRR-CAS informed the delegates, inviting Asia-Pacific countries “to work with us, to share your experience, to offer your knowledge, to raise your questions and to provide your solution.”

The Institute is part of the OCOP Regional Science and Innovation Network, which supports the development of all stages of a product’s value chain, from production and processing to trade and consumption. The goal is to produce more with less, while protecting the environment where these crops grow, improving the livelihoods of millions of smallholder producers, and promoting healthy and diversified diets for all diverse ages and tastes.

The meeting also saw the launch of the first OCOP Food Book. The book features healthy recipes for different ages and tastes, using SAPs promoted by Bhutan (quinoa), Cambodia (mango), Nepal (large cardamom) and Papua New Guinea (vanilla).

Experts from the OCOP network and leading international institutions briefed Asia-Pacific countries on innovative approaches and opportunities to enhance sustainable production, build traceability, enhance nutrition, and improve regulatory compliance and trade facilitation.

This included leveraging nuclear technology to support sustainable crop production, real time satellite monitoring to track where and how crops are grown, nutrient analysis and labelling to meet regulations and support healthy diets, and market data and AI tools to help guide trade policy.

“Looking ahead, we have an ambitious vision for OCOP implementation in the region,” Shimuzu told delegates.

This includes a new SAP Academy where FAO’s science and innovation partners can train countries in the region to use science and innovation to achieve OCOP’s goals. IGSNRR-CAS will lead the Academy’s creation and work with other partners to design and run courses and issue certificates.

Delegates also agreed to expand the OCOP Regional Science and Innovation Network launched in 2024, with the addition of a parallel network of regional and national-level partners. The expanded network will institutionalize national capacity building and promote country ownership. It will also be hosted by IGSNRR-CAS.

Finally, a collaboration agreement was signed between IGSNRR-CAS and Indonesia’s University of Jember.

The first OCOP Food Book is unveiled. (L-R) Ken Shimizu, FAO Deputy Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific; Prof. Chalat Santivarangkna, Director, Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University, Thailand; Vice-Chair of FAO OCOP Regional Organizing Group Asia and Pacific; Xuan Li, FAO Senior Policy Officer.   ©FAO

The Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences is named the first OCOP Centre of Excellence. (L-R) Prof. Chuang Liu, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGSNRR-CAS) and Vice-Chair of FAO OCOP Regional Organizing Group Asia and Pacific; Prof. Fubao Sun, Director General, IGSNRR-CAS; Ken Shimizu, FAO Deputy Regional Representative for Asia; and the Pacific, Xuan Li, FAO Senior Policy Officer.  © FAO