The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 Russia-Ukraine war, and the 2023 Hamas-Israel conflict have exposed ASEAN's vulnerability to global supply chain disruptions, raising critical concerns about food security for the region's 684 million people. The region's dependence on food imports, particularly wheat, soybeans and maize, further exacerbates food security concerns. Recognizing these vulnerabilities, ASEAN has implemented several measures such as the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework, adopted in 2020, which includes strategies to strengthen food security and enhance supply chain resilience. The bloc has also expanded the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve to secure rice availability during crises.
Despite these initiatives, the region continues to face substantial food security risks. Recent events, such as the escalating US-China trade war and Donald Trump's proposed tariffs, could pose additional challenges to the region's food security. These trade tensions could lead to market distortions, affecting the availability and affordability of essential agricultural commodities. Moreover, the intensifying impacts of climate change and increasing frequency of natural disasters further complicate ASEAN's efforts.
As ASEAN navigates these interconnected challenges, the need for innovative and sustainable solutions becomes increasingly urgent. We invite you to join the 14th Counterpoint Southeast Asia webinar on 18 March 2025, titled "
How can ASEAN ensure food security amidst increasing global supply chain disruptions?" Four regional experts will share their insights on addressing these issues and charting a path toward sustainable food security in Southeast Asia.
Ms Elyssa Kaur Ludher is a food security expert and urban planner. She is currently a Visiting Fellow at ISEAS- Yusof Ishak Institute and concurrently an advisor at MORROW Intelligence, a data-driven, foresights urban solutions company. Ms Ludher has contributed to food policy research at the World Bank, Centre for Liveable Cities Singapore, and the Singapore Food Agency. Ms Ludher’s publications have included “Rice Production and Food Security in SEA under Threat from El Niño”, “RICH Food Smart City”, “Food and the City: Overcoming Challenges for Food Security”, and “Preparing for a Climate Resilient Singapore”. She has a double Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning and Bioresource Engineering.
Dr Jose Ma Luis Montesclaros is a full-time Research Fellow with the Centre of Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre), S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, where he teaches on the political economy of development, and conducts policy analysis with dynamic models of food security and climate change. His Ph.D. in International Political Economy with RSIS, NTU, focused on “Institutions and Agricultural Transformation: A Study of Induced Innovation in the Philippine Rice Sector”. He is also First Inventor of the UrbanAgInvest tool (© NTU) tool, for assisting governments to draw investments into their high-tech farming sectors. Earlier, he obtained his Master’s in Public Policy with the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP), National University of Singapore as an ASEAN Scholar, and was one of school’s two “Leaders of Tomorrow” representatives at the 44th Saint Gallen Wings of Excellence Awards.
Ms Genevieve Donnellon-May is a geopolitical and global strategy adviser interested in regional resource governance (land, energy, water) and environmental conflict in Asia. Currently, she is the Asia-Pacific analyst at The Red Line, a researcher at the Oxford Global Society, and a fellow at the Indo-Pacific Studies Center. Genevieve is also a 2023 CSIS Pacific Young Leader, a 2023 Yenching Scholar. She was shortlisted by the Young Australians in International Affairs as one of the 2023 Young Women to Watch. Genevieve holds an MSc in Water Science, Policy and Management from the University of Oxford, and a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) and a Diploma of Languages from the University of Melbourne. She has held positions as the 2022 Young Australians in International Affairs Climate Fellow as well as at the Institute of Water Policy, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, and the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, South Korea.
Ms Mae Chow is a Research Assistant at the Centre on Asia and Globalisation (CAG) at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. Her research interests include US-China rivalry, security strategies, and geopolitics in Asia Pacific. Mae received her B.A in Psychology and International Politics from the University of Melbourne. She had also completed her Master’s degree in International Affairs from the LKYSPP, with a specialization in International Security.
Counterpoint Southeast Asia is a webinar and policy brief series that tackles strategic and complex questions facing Southeast Asia by presenting the perspectives of regional academics and policy experts. It is organised by the Centre on Asia and Globalisation, LKYSPP, NUS.
