Principles for Strengthening Food Systems Resilience in the APEC Region through Innovation and Digitalization

Introduction

Food systems are vital for global food security, people’s well-being and long-term economic growth. Facing multiple shocks and stresses such as economic fluctuations, supply chain disruptions, resource constraints, extreme weather events and natural disasters, APEC economies recognize that strengthening food systems resilience is a priority for this region.

We offer these principles to advance innovation and digitalization, guided by the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040 for an open, dynamic, resilient and peaceful Asia-Pacific community, and other existing APEC frameworks as appropriate, the Policy Partnership on Food Security, other relevant APEC fora and food security ministers.

We recognize that innovation and digitalization can make valuable contributions to enhance food systems resilience. By applying innovations, digital and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), APEC economies can improve decision-making, connectivity, and responsiveness across agri-food systems. These efforts can help agri-food systems better anticipate, absorb, adapt to and recover from shocks and stresses, while supporting their efficiency and performance.

In pursuing innovation and digitalization, APEC economies recognize the importance of trusted and secure digital infrastructure and facilitation of data flows and interoperability, as appropriate, while ensuring effective and responsible data protection and privacy. We seek to foster robust, reliable, secure, and trusted digital systems, and support capacity building efforts to ensure agri-food systems resilience gains are effective, accessible and enduring.

Recognizing that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach, we provide the following principles as options for APEC economies to focus their cooperative efforts to strengthen food systems resilience through innovation and digitalization.

Principle 1: Strengthen data-driven and science-based decision-making to improve foresight management and response capacity

Statement of Issue

Reliable, secure, and interoperable data as appropriate, underpinned by robust data protection practices, enabled by strong analytical capabilities and trusted cross-border data flows, are the foundation for identifying both challenges and opportunities, providing early warnings of shocks, assessing impacts and designing effective interventions and policy responses.

Key Actions

• Strengthen capacity building for data collection, situation monitoring, diagnostics, and analysis across agri-food systems, as appropriate, and facilitate trusted data sharing on voluntary and mutually agreed terms. Working with private sector, encourage the application of digital and emerging technologies, including for real-time monitoring of agricultural production systems, pests and diseases, supply chains, weather information and market dynamics.

• Develop digital and innovative prevention, detection, early warning and mitigation systems for disasters such as extreme weather events and pest and disease outbreaks. Use simulation models and scenario analysis for risk and challenge prediction to support forward-looking policy-making and timely response.

• Promote monitoring and early warning of the food security conditions, enhance food supply chain and critical infrastructure resilience. Enhance cooperation, as appropriate, to support market transparency, and the reliable supply of food, particularly during emergencies.

Principle 2: Promote application and integration of innovative technologies to support productivity and resilience across supply chains

Statement of Issue

Integrating technological innovations and digital solutions throughout agri-food value chains, as appropriate, can enhance productivity, biosecurity and resource use efficiency, prevent and reduce food loss and waste, strengthen food quality, safety and traceability, and support ongoing improvement of agri-food systems. Investing in research, development and extension will be critical to achieving this.

Key Actions

• Promote the development of crop, livestock and aquaculture varieties with enhanced tolerance to stresses. Scale up and promote the adoption of science-based, data-driven and precision agriculture practices, including for improved livestock and aquaculture systems, efficient irrigation, soil mapping and optimized agricultural input use to support productivity growth.

• Advance innovative and digital solutions for food quality and safety monitoring and storage management. Utilize technologies to improve how supply chain participants work together to support efficient transport, cold chain management and supply chain resilience. Encourage innovation in value-added processing and packaging to support food quality, safety and nutrition.

• Advance innovation and digitalization in paperless trade and e-certification to support the efficient cross-border movement of food and agricultural products to promote food security across APEC region. Explore opportunities to deliver innovative traceability tools and systems to achieve food safety, biosecurity and food security outcomes.

• Stimulate the research, development and adoption of innovative technologies for food upcycling, including converting food processing by-products and organic waste into feed, fertilizer, bioenergy and other valuable outputs, thereby contributing to improved productivity through the more efficient use of these resources.

Principle 3: Foster broad engagement and accessibility and advance innovation and expand adoption of emerging technologies

Statement of Issue

Actions to enhance food systems resilience should be available to everyone, including those that may face barriers to participation. These actions should be locally relevant and consistent with economies’ domestic contexts and priorities. These actions may include improving availability and access to digital and emerging technologies, and broadening digital connectivity to support multi-stakeholder engagement in agri-food systems.

Key Actions

• Encourage investment in digital infrastructure, including in underserved areas. Promote the benefits of utilizing digital and e-commerce platforms, logistics solutions, and community-based models, where appropriate, to help improve access to local, regional and global markets.

• Deliver training programs that build digital literacy and skills of all participants across agri-food systems. Support stakeholders to adopt and effectively use digital tools in their business operations.

• Adopt context-specific policies and digital solutions that are responsive to user needs and feasible to implement. Acknowledge the benefits of recognizing a range of diverse perspectives, including local and traditional knowledge as appropriate, into the design and promotion of digital technologies to improve outputs and accessibility.

Principle 4: Strengthen multi-stakeholder engagement and collaboration

Statement of Issue

Building resilient food systems requires effective partnerships, as appropriate, across public and private sectors, academia, financial institutions, industry, civil society, the technical community, producers and international organizations across the APEC region. This can improve the ability to deploy resources in a complementary way, address common concerns and share knowledge on voluntary and mutually agreed terms.

Key Actions

• Share experience on science- and evidence-based, forward-looking policy and streamlined regulatory frameworks for food security. Promote cooperation on digital systems, agricultural standards and food safety approaches, consistent with international standards.

• Create enabling environments for the responsible development, deployment and application of digital technologies and innovative products in the agri-food sector, with safeguards for privacy, security and intellectual property. Where appropriate, consider programs to attract private investment in digital innovation and infrastructure, including to assist in improving access to finance and markets for small-scale producers, MSMEs and start-ups.

• Utilize innovative and digital solutions to help administer financial, insurance and other risk management tools to support farmers, fishers, foresters, and livestock producers, thereby helping food systems better absorb and recover from shocks. Collaborate with multilateral development banks, regional risk pools, international organizations and other relevant partners to better deploy disaster risk financing solutions, as appropriate, to strengthen regional food system resilience.

Principle 5: Promote systems thinking for transformation towards a better future

Statement of Issue

The complex interactions across agri-food systems, the natural environment and socio-economic factors should be examined from systems-based approaches. Applying this integrated perspective can help to guide the transformation of food systems to improve efficiency, productivity, nutrition and health including through the targeted use of innovation and digital technologies.

Key Actions

• Support the adoption of innovative management approaches, such as precision agriculture, regenerative agriculture and circular systems, that improve the efficient use of land, water, inputs and other resources, while strengthening the natural resource base and long-term resilience of agri-food systems.

• Encourage efforts to diversify food production and supply across local, regional and global food systems. Invest in innovation, as appropriate including through the development of locally adapted crops, new crop varieties, and improved plant and animal genetics to enhance productivity, dietary diversity and nutrition outcomes.

• Leverage digital tools and innovative technologies to maintain and promote diversified production systems and market channels that enhance the capacity of agri-food systems to absorb shocks and strengthen adaptability.

• Advance the digital transformation of agri-food systems by enabling the workforce to adapt to and benefit from technological change. Use digital tools to raise awareness among producers, consumers and other stakeholders of innovative approaches that improve production, prevent and reduce food loss and waste, inform consumer choice, deliver positive nutrition outcomes, and ultimately support food systems resilience.

创新与数字化增强亚太区域粮食体系韧性原则文件

参考译文

引言

粮食体系对于维护全球粮食安全、增进民生福祉、促进经济长期增长至关重要。面对经济波动、供应链扰动、资源约束、极端天气和自然灾害等多重冲击与压力，亚太经合组织（APEC）各经济体认识到，增强粮食体系韧性已成为本区域的优先事项。

我们遵循《2040年APEC布特拉加亚愿景》关于建设开放、活力、强韧、和平的亚太共同体的指引，并视情在其他现有APEC框架、粮食安全政策伙伴关系机制（PPFS）、其他相关APEC机制以及粮食安全部长的指导下，提出以下原则，推进创新与数字化发展。

我们认识到创新与数字化可为增强粮食体系韧性作出重要贡献。通过应用创新成果、人工智能等数字技术和新兴技术，APEC各经济体可提升农食体系全链条的决策能力、互联互通水平和响应速度。这些举措有助于推动农食体系更好地预见风险、承受冲击、适应变化和恢复产能，并提升其运行效率和整体效能。

在推进创新和数字化进程中，APEC各经济体认识到，需要根据实际情况，建设安全可信的数字基础设施，促进数据流动和互操作性，同时应以有效、负责任的方式保护数据和隐私。我们致力于构建稳健、可靠、安全、可信的数字系统，并支持能力建设，以确保农食体系韧性取得有效、可及且持久的成效。

粮食体系韧性建设不存在“放之四海而皆准”的方法。为此，我们提出以下原则，旨在为APEC各经济体开展创新与数字化合作提供路径，共同增强区域粮食体系韧性。

原则一：强化数据驱动与科学决策，提升预警预判和响应能力

核心内容：可靠、安全、可互操作的数据，在适当情况下，以健全的数据保护措施为基础，以强大的分析能力和可信的跨境数据流动为支撑，是识别挑战与机遇、提供早期预警、评估影响、制定有效干预措施与应对政策的基础。

关键行动：

（一）根据实际情况，加强农食体系数据采集、形势监测、诊断和分析等方面的能力建设，并在自愿和相互协商一致的基础上促进可信的数据共享。与私营部门加强合作，鼓励应用数字技术和新兴技术，实现对农业生产体系、病虫害、供应链、气象信息和市场动态的实时监测。

（二）针对极端天气事件、病虫害暴发等灾害，开发基于数字化和创新技术的预防、监测、预警和减灾系统。利用模拟模型和情景分析预测风险和挑战，为制定前瞻性政策和及时响应提供支撑。

（三）加强粮食安全监测和预警，增强粮食供应链和关键基础设施韧性。根据实际情况，加强合作，特别是在紧急情况下，提高市场透明度，保障粮食稳定供应。

原则二：推动创新技术应用和融合，提升供应链生产力和韧性

核心内容：将适用的技术创新和数字化解决方案融入农食全产业链，能够提升生产力、生物安全和资源利用效率，防止和减少粮食损失与浪费，提升粮食质量、安全水平和可追溯性，推动农食体系持续改进。加大研究、开发和推广投入，对实现上述目标至关重要。

关键行动：

（一）推动加快培育抗逆性强的农作物、畜禽和水产养殖品种。规模化推广以科学为基础、以数据为驱动的精准农业实践，改进畜牧和水产养殖系统，推行高效灌溉、土壤测绘和优化农业投入品使用，支撑生产力提升。

（二）推广粮食质量安全监测和仓储管理的创新数字化解决方案。运用技术改善供应链利益相关方的协作方式，促进高效运输、冷链管理，增强供应链韧性。鼓励增值加工和包装创新，切实保障粮食质量、安全和营养。

（三）推进无纸化贸易与电子认证领域的创新与数字化，支持食品及农产品高效跨境流通，促进APEC区域粮食安全。探索开发运用创新性可追溯工具和系统的场景和机遇，以实现食品安全、生物安全和粮食安全。

（四）推动食品升级利用创新技术的研发和应用，包括将食品加工副产品和有机废弃物转化为饲料、肥料、生物能源和其他高价值产品，通过资源的高效利用促进生产力提升。

原则三：促进广泛参与和普惠共享，推进创新并扩大新兴技术应用

核心内容：增强粮食体系韧性的行动应惠及所有人，包括可能面临参与障碍的群体。这些行动应立足当地实际，且符合各经济体的实际情况和优先事项。具体措施可包括提升数字技术和新兴技术的可获得性和可及性，拓宽数字互联互通，推动农食体系多元主体广泛参与。

关键行动：

（一）鼓励对数字基础设施进行投资，覆盖服务不足地区。在适当情况下，宣传推广数字化和电子商务平台、物流解决方案以及社区模式的积极成效，助力改善本地、区域和全球市场的可及性。

（二）开展培训，提升农食体系所有参与者的数字素养和技能水平，支持各利益相关方在经营活动中积极采用并有效运用数字工具。

（三）因地制宜制定符合用户需求的可行性政策与数字化解决方案。应认识到，在数字技术的设计与推广中应用多元视角的价值，包括适当吸纳当地和传统知识，从而提升产出成效与可及性。

原则四：加强多元主体参与和协作

核心内容：建设韧性粮食体系，需要以适当方式，在APEC区域公共和私营部门、产业界、学术界、技术界、金融机构、社会团体、生产者及国际组织之间，建立有效伙伴关系。这有助于提升资源互补配置能力、应对共同关切，并在自愿和相互协商一致的基础上分享知识。

关键行动：

（一）分享以科学和事实为基础、具有前瞻性的粮食安全政策及优化监管框架的经验。推动数字系统、农食标准与食品安全治理领域的合作，并与国际标准保持一致。

（二）为农食领域数字技术和创新产品的负责任开发、部署和应用营造有利环境，并保障隐私、安全和知识产权。根据实际情况，考虑通过项目吸引私营部门投资数字创新和基础设施，包括帮助小规模生产者、中小微企业和初创企业拓宽融资渠道、改善市场准入。

（三）运用创新和数字化解决方案，协助实施金融、保险和其他风险管理工具，为农民、渔民、林业生产者和畜牧养殖者提供有力支持，帮助粮食体系更好地承受冲击并从中恢复。与多边开发银行、区域风险共担机制、国际组织及其他相关伙伴加强合作，根据实际情况更好地运用灾害风险融资解决方案，增强区域粮食体系韧性。

原则五：倡导系统思维，推动转型迈向更美好未来

核心内容：农食体系与自然环境、社会经济因素相互交织、彼此影响，需要坚持系统观念、运用系统方法来统筹把握。以此为引领，有针对性地运用创新和数字技术，推动粮食体系转型，提升效率、增强生产力、改善营养和健康状况。

关键行动：

（一）支持采用创新管理方式，例如精准农业、再生农业与循环体系，提升土地、水资源、生产投入品及其他资源的利用效率，同时夯实自然资源基础，增强农食体系的长期韧性。

（二）鼓励推动本地、区域和全球粮食体系食物生产和供应多元化。适当加大创新投入，包括培育适应当地环境的农作物、开发新型作物品种以及改良动植物遗传基因，以提升生产力、膳食多样性和营养水平。

（三）充分利用数字工具和创新技术，保持和促进多元化生产体系和市场渠道，增强农食体系吸收冲击和强化适应性的能力。

（四）推进农食体系数字化转型，助力从业人员适应并受益于技术变革。运用数字工具，提升生产者、消费者及其他利益相关方对创新方法的认知，以改善生产、预防和减少粮食损失浪费、引导消费选择，改善营养健康状况，从而增强粮食体系韧性。