27 1400 1_fao_introduction asean rai mekong forest landscapes
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The ASEAN Guidelines on Promoting Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture and Forestry (ASEAN RAI) provide a regionally-adapted framework to encourage sustainable and inclusive agricultural investment in Southeast Asia. The ASEAN RAI were developed through multi-stakeholder collaboration and address key issues like land and resource rights, conservation, and stakeholder participation. By outlining best practices, the ASEAN RAI aim to help governments, businesses and civil society promote responsible investment that benefits communities while protecting the environment.
27 1400 1_fao_introduction asean rai mekong forest landscapes
- 1. ; The ASEAN Guidelines on Promoting Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture and Forestry (ASEAN RAI) & Mekong Forest Landscapes Jana Herold, Responsible Agricultural Investments Team, FAO Session 4 MRLF - 27 May 2021
- 2. Overview and key messages • Responsible agricultural investment in the Mekong region is an important vehicle to achieve the Agenda 2030. • The ASEAN RAI Guidelines provide a regionally-adapted roadmap, bringing ongoing initiatives under one umbrella. • They are a tool for governments, private sector and civil society to make responsible agricultural investment a reality in ASEAN. 2 © FAO/Enric Català Conteras
- 3. Rationale • Agriculture (including forestry, fishing) contributes to more than 11% to ASEAN’s regional GDP.1 • Investing in agriculture is one of the most effective strategies to reduce hunger and poverty and generate economic growth.2 • However, investments that are not responsible can have severely negative impacts on workers, local communities, businesses and other stakeholders. 3 1 Source: ASEANstats 2 Source: FAO, IFAD and WFP. 2015. Achieving Zero Hunger: the critical role of investments in social protection and agriculture.
- 4. • Developed through a multi-stakeholder process with technical drafting support from FAO, Grow Asia, IISD, SDC and the World Bank. • Adopted by the ASEAN Member States (AMS) in October 2018. • Grounded in the Committee on World Food Security’s Principles for Responsible investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RAI). • FAO, Grow Asia, IISD and ASEC are partnering to support AMS to implement the Guidelines. The ASEAN Guidelines on Promoting Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture and Forestry (ASEAN RAI) 4
- 5. Attract socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable and inclusive investments by Balancing rights & interests Creating a guidance framework Establishing a reference for behaviors and decisions in ASEAN 5 The ASEAN RAI Guidelines seek to:
- 6. The ASEAN RAI: 10 thematic areas 6
- 7. Guideline 4: Respect tenure of land, fisheries, and forests, and access to water 7 Principles: ➢ Respect legitimate tenure right holders in line with international instruments (VGGT1, SSF Guidelines2, UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) ➢ Recognize Indigenous Peoples’ and local communities’ rights to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) ➢ Assess social impacts of investment activities on all legitimate tenure rights holders ➢ Act to avoid displacement and resettlement of all legitimate tenure rights holders 1 VGGT: Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests 2 SSF Guidelines: Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication
- 8. Guideline 5: Conserve and sustainably manage natural resources, in particular ASEAN’s forests 8 Principles: ➢ Prevent, minimize and remedy negative impacts on natural resources ➢ Support sustainable forest management practices, recognizing forests’ economic, social, cultural and ecological value ➢ Balance the economy, conservation, and communities’ and Indigenous Peoples’ needs ➢ Support sustainable sourcing, and environmental and social certification ➢ Increase production efficiency and productive use of waste and by-products ➢ Encourage sustainable consumption ➢ Ensure robust, participatory planning, management and governance of natural resources
- 9. • The ASEAN RAI provide regionally specific guidance to an existing landscape of voluntary sustainability standards and certifications. • The ASEAN RAI are now also included in the International Trade Centre’s Standards Maps, which allows companies to compare their existing sustainability commitments to over 300 other certifications, codes of conduct, and audit protocols. Existing voluntary sustainability standards and certifications 9 → Visit: https://standardsmap.org/ Source: Grow Asia (2020): Mapping of Industry and Investment Standards and ASEAN RAI
- 10. Key messages • The ASEAN RAI guidelines provide a tool for policymakers, investors and civil society to make responsible agricultural investment a reality. • National policy frameworks need to put responsible investors at an advantage. • For the private sector, applying the ASEAN RAI not only helps to mitigate commercial and reputational risks, but also to be prepared for a future policy landscape in which responsible investment practices will be required for license to operate. • Enable civil society and communities to meaningfully participate in investment processes. 10 ©FAO/Giuseppe Bizzarri
- 11. Thank you! Jana Herold, Responsible Agricultural Investments Team, FAO Jana.herold@fao.org Website: http://www.fao.org/in-action/responsible-agricultural-investments/en/ @FAOInvest