What are the challenges facing the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in terms of ensuring food security? How is the partnership between the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) and FAO developing? To these and other questions from the press Secretary of the FAO Moscow Bureau Vladimir Mikheev, within the framework of the XVI Verona Eurasian Economic Forum, held in November in Samarkand (Uzbekistan), replied Armen Harutyunyan, Director of the Department of Agro-Industrial Policy of the EEC.
– Do you take into account the Global Food Security Index in your work?
The Department of Agro–Industrial Policy of the EEC regularly monitors integrated indicators of food security formed by international organizations – FAO and The Economist. Unfortunately, the Global Food Security Index is not calculated for Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, which makes it impossible to conduct a comparative analysis.
It is also important to note that this indicator is an aggregator of key indicators and covers not only economic indicators, but also takes into account social and political aspects related to food supply, quality and safety. In addition, the Global Index uses indicators based on expert assessments.
Taking into account that the EAEU is a trade and economic association, we pay more attention to economic indicators and assess the level of food security on the basis of a methodology agreed by all countries of the Union.
According to our calculations, the level of self-sufficiency in the Union as a whole is 93%. The five countries fully cover domestic needs for grain, pork, vegetables and potatoes, vegetable oils, sugar and eggs at the expense of their own resources. There is only a lack of fruits and berries. It is important to emphasize that supplies from Uzbekistan, as one of the most important trading partners, contribute to increasing the level of security of the Union with these products.
– How is the partnership of the member countries within the framework of the Union developing in the agro-food field?
The EEC is not only a body for the preparation of regulatory legal documents, but also a platform for discussing problematic issues of the business community, as well as prospects and opportunities for developing cooperation between the Union countries and improving the efficiency of specific industries. We have the appropriate mechanisms for this. In order to stimulate cooperation in industry, a mechanism for financial assistance to the implementation of Eurasian projects has been created. We are also working on expanding this mechanism to the agro-industrial complex.
In order to deepen the partnership between higher education institutions and scientific organizations of the Union countries, a Memorandum was signed at the end of 2021 in the field of personnel training for industry and agriculture. The practical result of its implementation was joint educational courses of interested agricultural universities of the Union countries in relevant industry areas.
In addition, the EEC has formed a map of the development of the agroindustry of the EAEU, which contains information on projects in the field of agriculture that are being implemented and promising from the point of view of implementation in the countries of the Union. The map includes major projects aimed at solving import substitution issues and saturating the common agricultural market with goods from the Union countries, as well as cooperative projects involving interstate interaction, mutual supplies of raw materials or finished products, and the development of innovative technologies.
– In connection with the anti-Russian sanctions, what recommendations does the EEC give to businesses in the countries of the Union?
– If you look at the statistics, we will see an increase in production and mutual trade of agricultural products and food. From 2015 to 2022, agricultural production in the EAEU increased by 24.1%, and mutual supplies almost doubled.
Restrictions on supplies from third countries contribute, to a certain extent, to the development of intra-union trade and creates opportunities for the EAEU member states to fill the niches that have arisen.
Despite this, any business initiative, the creation of an enterprise must take into account the competitive environment in the free economic space.
Thus, the opportunities for economic growth are obvious. Thus, organic agriculture has great potential not only within the Union. Businesses all over the world are showing interest in this sector, which has already taken shape in a steady trend. However, the legislation governing organic agriculture varies greatly in the countries of the Union. There is even a discrepancy in the definition of what is “organic”, and there is also a discrepancy in the use of terms such as “eco”, “bio”, “environmentally friendly”, etc.
We in the Commission came to the conclusion that we need to conclude an international agreement with fixed and agreed concepts and terms. At the same time, all agreements must comply with internationally approved best practices and standards of the FAO-WHO Commission on Food Standards “Codex Alimentarius”. We really need universal standards for use within the Union, but they must be compatible with international ones. I hope we will be able to sign such an agreement next year.
– In your opinion, what are the three most pressing problems in the agro-industrial sector that require prompt solutions?
– Today, these are the material and technical support of the agro-industrial complex, the development of human capital (advanced training and mastering new skills) and an increase in the share of production and export of goods with high added value.
– To what extent is the Eurasian Economic Commission interested in and fruitful cooperation with FAO?
– We have signed an Action Plan with FAO, and it has been successfully implemented. I would like to express my gratitude to both the Budapest headquarters and the Moscow office of FAO for their support in almost all areas of our activities. We intend to include such areas of cooperation as breeding, seed production, digitalization, and the use of new technologies in agriculture in the new Action Plan.
During our recent visit to Budapest, we secured technical support from FAO in a number of areas. Given the insufficient self-sufficiency of the EAEU countries in fruit and vegetable products, we conducted research together with FAO and prepared a report containing specific recommendations for those employed in this sector. The report has been provided to all member countries of the Union.
FAO is also ready to help us finalize our report on organic agriculture. To do this, FAO provides the necessary contacts with those organizations that are directly involved in this issue.
Thus, I would rate our joint work with FAO as “Excellent” this year!
reference
Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) – the permanent regulatory body of the Eurasian Economic Union. It started functioning on February 2, 2012.
The main purpose of the Eurasian Economic Commission is to ensure the conditions for the functioning and development of the EAEU, to develop proposals for the further development of integration.
Currently, five countries are represented in the EEC: the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Federation.
The EEC has the status of a supranational governing body and in its activities is guided by the interests of the participating countries of the Eurasian economic integration project as a whole, without motivating its decisions by the interest of any of the national governments. The Commission’s decisions are binding on the territory of the EAEU member States.
The decision to create the EEC is based on the understanding that together the five countries will be able not only to reduce the negative consequences of global instability, but also to actively position themselves in foreign markets. The Eurasian Economic Union is open to the participation of other States that share the goals of this association and are ready to assume the required obligations.
The most important feature of the Commission is that all decisions are made on a collegial basis.
A source: https://www.fao.org/russian-federation/news/detail/ru/c/1672903/
