CropLife Asia Urges Region’s Residents to “Remember our Farmers” this Lunar New Year

Singapore, 23 January 2020 – Lunar New Year, one of the most important celebrations on the calendar for many Asians, is here again. This festive season is an occasion for family members and friends to reunite, spend time together, and take part in time-honoured traditions and customs that make this a special time of year. With the vast variety of sumptuous foods being enjoyed during Lunar New Year, CropLife Asia is encouraging all Asians to take time during the season to remember our region’s farmers for their immense contributions to ensuring a safe and sustainable food supply for all.

“The common thread in all the Lunar New Year celebrations globally is the good food we enjoy with our family and friends,” said Dr. Siang He Tan, Executive Director of CropLife Asia. “Whether it’s the mandarin oranges given during home visits in Chinese households, the xoi (sticky rice) enjoyed during Tet in Vietnam, the tteokguk (rice-cake soup) synonymous with celebrations in Korea, or any number of other delicacies enjoyed this time of year – the importance of food in the festivities is universal.

“It’s important to remember, however, that there are millions of smallholder farmers in Asia who make this all possible. These farmers behind the food deserve our gratitude, appreciation, and support.

“CropLife Asia and the plant science industry remain committed to enabling and empowering Asia’s smallholder farmers to ensure a safe and sustainable food supply for our region. With the effects of climate change increasingly evident across Asia, it’s more important than ever that we equip our region’s farmers with the innovative tools they need to grow more healthy and nutritious food safely and sustainably.”

According to United Nations (UN) research, the world’s population is projected to exceed nine billion inhabitants by 2050. This means that farmers will need to produce as much as 50% more food than today to meet the expected needs of our population by that year. Meanwhile, the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) Report by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has also estimated that 513 million (or over 62%) of the world’s hungry presently live in Asia. Asia also accounts for the largest number of undernourished people.

The numerous innovations of plant biotechnology and crop protection will be key in driving sustainable production of the food supply to feed our growing population. Biotech crops are developed with improved traits such as increased yield, better resistance to pests and/or improved nutrition, among others. These traits are crucial tools that enable farmers to meet global challenges such as food insecurity. Meanwhile, farmers continue to rely on crop protection products to produce more food on less land and raise productivity per hectare. Without crop protection products, 40 percent of global rice and maize harvests could be lost every year[1] and losses for fruits and vegetables could be as high as 50-90 percent.

[1] Oerke, E.C., 2006, “Crop losses to pests,” Journal of Agricultural Science, vol. 144