Elmer R. Esplana[1]
Bureau of Animal
Industry (BAI), Department of Agriculture (DA)
Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
ABSTRACT
This
study focuses on the development of a project on the establishment of a web-enabled
Food Security Information Management System (FSIMS) in
Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). The project proposal was presented at the 9th
BIMP-EAGA Natural Resource Development (NRD) Cluster Meeting in April 2011 in
Brunei Darussalam with the intention of developing a web-enabled FSIMS for the
four-member countries of BIMP-EAGA. It
was approved in the Working Group and Cluster meeting by the four member
countries. But later, during the same
year the Agro-industry and Fisheries Cooperation Working Group core members
suggested a piloting the project between the Philippines and the Indonesia. A
bilateral proposal was submitted to Indonesia for their comments at the 10th
BIMP-EAGA NRD Cluster Meeting last May 2012 in Balikpapan City, Indonesia and
as part of the update of the initially presented concept paper in Brunei. The
proposal was accepted in principle by Indonesian representatives in the meeting
but with further comments to be submitted from the Ministry of Agriculture and
Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, as their official counter
proposal/comments for the bilateral proposal. In February 2012, the Phase 1
bilateral proposal of the project was submitted to the Japan-ASEAN Integration
Fund with the support of Mindanao Development Authority Philippine -EAGA
Secretariat. In August 2012, a notice of
interest for funding the said proposal was submitted to the Department of
Agriculture by the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to ASEAN through the
proponent with some improvement to be prepared for re-submission. In this study,
the researcher discusses developments of this BIMP-EAGA system and the
challenges of initially implementing the project for both the Philippines and
Indonesia, as part of the contribution of this sub-regional initiative to the
ASEAN. Based on the analysis, some
related indicators on food security on the regional level should be
strengthened, particularly on tracking the beginning stock based on
establishments, sources of food security information and related indicators, as
part of the indicators to be monitored, as integral part of the food security
information management system. The paper
provides recommendations on how to fast-track the pilot implementation of the
project in the Philippines and Indonesia, given the initial discussion and
communications with each other on the proposed bilateral project on food
security information management system.
KEYWORDS:
Food Security, Information Management System, web-enabled, bilateral,
BIMP-EAGA, ASEAN, Philippines, Indonesia, NRD Cluster, Phase 1
[1] Agriculturist II, Marketing
Development Division of BAI, Project Coordinator of Japan 2KR Livestock
“Oksyon” Market (LOM) Rehabilitation and Modernization Project in the
Philippines and Secretariat Coordinator, National Price and Volume Watch,
Bureau of Animal Industry, Department of Agriculture. Presented at the Philippine Statistical
Association Annual Conference, Apo View Hotel, Davao City, Philippines, August
17, 2012.
