There has been much work described the trigger
of the food crisis (particularly rice) that kicked in
after the fuel crisis and further deteriorated by the
financial crisis in 2008. The latter did not only wiped
off the priority to address food security issue but also
turned the prospective or/and ready investment off
to save the subsequent economic crisis. Such case is
a norm of human’s ‘short memory’ that tends to put
the food security issue aside soon after food prices
were soothed by the financial and economic crises.
Although the crisis appeared to be driven by shortterm
shock, current food prices are still at higher
levels than pre-crisis levels. The renowned fact of the
higher food prices has been tipped as the end of the
cheap food era.
As much as 90 per cent of rice is produced
and consumed in Asia. This statement of fact has
never been changed, however, the trends of shifting
fundamentals, both on the supply and demand sides
have been emerging. A Chatham House Report by
Ambler-Edwards et al. (2009) warned that the global
food system will come under renewed pressure from
the combined effects of seven fundamental factors,
namely population growth, nutrition transition, energy,
land, water, labour and climate change. Some of the
effects of change are already being felt. ‘Businessas-usual’
is likely to fail and will bring unbearable