Promotingthe

applicationofthe

Associationof

SoutheastAsian

Nations(ASEAN)

Guidelinesfor

Responsible

InvestmentinFood,

Agricultureand

Forestry

Aq16)ji)6ld6nbd00斗

t01A?3A/

q61li6m9nj61i6n?

Wijdjd9j9)dni)6l?uqq01j0t:

Promotingthe

applicationofthe

Associationof

SoutheastAsian

Nations(ASEAN)

Guidelinesfor

Responsible

InvestmentinFood,

Agricultureand

Forestry

Aq16)ji)6ld6nbd00斗

t01A?3A/

q61li6m9nj61i6n?

FoodandAgricultureOrganizationoftheUnitedNationsRome,2023

Requiredcitation:

FAO.2023.PromotingtheapplicationoftheAssociationofSoutheastAsianNations(ASEAN)GuidelinesforResponsibleInvestmentinFood,AgricultureandForestry–ApracticalhandbookforASEANparliamentarians.Rome./10.4060/cc6333en

ThedesignationsemployedandthepresentationofmaterialinthisinformationproductdonotimplytheexpressionofanyopinionwhatsoeveronthepartoftheFoodandAgricultureOrganizationoftheUnitedNations(FAO)concerningthelegalordevelopmentstatusofanycountry,territory,cityorareaorofitsauthorities,orconcerningthedelimitationofitsfrontiersorboundaries.Thementionofspecificcompaniesorproductsofmanufacturers,whetherornotthesehavebeenpatented,doesnotimplythatthesehavebeenendorsedorrecommendedbyFAOinpreferencetoothersofasimilarnaturethatarenotmentioned.

ISBN978-92-5-137921-9

?FAO,2023

Somerightsreserved.ThisworkismadeavailableundertheCreativeCommonsAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike3.0IGOlicence(CCBY-NC-SA3.0IGO;

/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo/legalcode

).

Underthetermsofthislicence,thisworkmaybecopied,redistributedandadaptedfornon-commercialpurposes,providedthattheworkisap-propriatelycited.Inanyuseofthiswork,thereshouldbenosuggestionthatFAOendorsesanyspecificorganization,productsorservices.TheuseoftheFAOlogoisnotpermitted.Iftheworkisadapted,thenitmustbelicensedunderthesameorequivalentCreativeCommonslicence.Ifatranslationofthisworkiscreated,itmustincludethefollowingdisclaimeralongwiththerequiredcitation:“ThistranslationwasnotcreatedbytheFoodandAgricultureOrganizationoftheUnitedNations(FAO).FAOisnotresponsibleforthecontentoraccuracyofthistranslation.Theoriginal[Language]editionshallbetheauthoritativeedition.”

DisputesarisingunderthelicencethatcannotbesettledamicablywillberesolvedbymediationandarbitrationasdescribedinArticle8ofthelicenceexceptasotherwiseprovidedherein.TheapplicablemediationruleswillbethemediationrulesoftheWorldIntellectualPropertyOrga-nization/amc/en/mediation/rulesandanyarbitrationwillbeconductedinaccordancewiththeArbitrationRulesoftheUnitedNationsCommissiononInternationalTradeLaw(UNCITRAL).

Third-partymaterials.Userswishingtoreusematerialfromthisworkthatisattributedtoathirdparty,suchastables,figuresorimages,areresponsiblefordeterminingwhetherpermissionisneededforthatreuseandforobtainingpermissionfromthecopyrightholder.Theriskofclaimsresultingfrominfringementofanythird-party-ownedcomponentintheworkrestssolelywiththeuser.

Sales,rightsandlicensing.FAOinformationproductsareavailableontheFAOwebsite(/publications)andcanbepurchasedthrough

publications-sales@

.Requestsforcommercialuseshouldbesubmittedvia:

/contact-us/licence-request

.Queriesregardingrightsandlicensingshouldbesubmittedto:

copyright@

.

iii

CONTENTS

Forewordiv

Acknowledgementsv

Abbreviationsandacronymsvii

1.Introduction1

1.1.Context2

1.2.Thehandbook3

2.TheroleofAssociationofSoutheastAsianNations(ASEAN)parliamentariansinpromoting5

responsibleinvestmentinagricultureandfoodsystemsinSoutheastAsia

2.1.TheASEANGuidelinesonPromotingResponsibleInvestmentinFood,Agriculture,andForestry6

2.2.WhatistheroleofparliamentarianswithrespecttotheASEANGuidelineson9

PromotingResponsibleInvestmentinFood,Agriculture,andForestry(ASEANRAI)?

?Action1:Assesstheconsistencyofpolicies,laws,andinstitutionswiththeASEANRAI10

?Action2:Championlegislativechangestopromoteresponsibleinvestmentinfood,agriculture,12

andforestry,inlinewiththeASEANRAI

?Action3:Ensureadequatefinancingfortheimplementationoflegal,policyandinstitutionalreforms13

topromoteresponsibleinvestmentsinfood,agriculture,andforestry

?Action4:Provideeffectiveparliamentaryoversighttomonitorimplementationoflawsand14

regulationsrelatedtoresponsibleinvestmentsinfood,agriculture,andforestry

?Action5:Enhancecommunicationandcollaborationtoconveytheimportanceofresponsible15

investmentinfood,agriculture,andforestry

3.Usinglegislationtopromoteresponsibleinvestmentsinfood,agriculture,andforestry19

3.1.LaoPeople’sDemocraticRepublic’sAmendedLawonInvestmentPromotion20

3.1.1.Context20

3.1.2.AlignmentwiththeASEANGuidelinesonPromotingResponsibleInvestmentinFood,20

Agriculture,andForestry

3.2.Cambodia’snewLawonInvestment22

3.2.1.Context22

3.2.2.AlignmentwiththeASEANGuidelinesonPromotingResponsibleInvestmentinFood,22

Agriculture,andForestry

4.Supportingsustainableandappropriatetechnologiesandpracticesforresourceefficient,25

productive,andsafefood,agriculture,andforestrysystems

4.1.Promotingagriculturaltechnologytransferandupgradingwhilesafeguardingtheinterestsand26

rightsoftechnologyusers:Thailand’sdataprotectionreforms

4.1.1.Drivingtechnologicaltransformationofthefoodandagriculturesector26

4.1.2.ProtectingdatarightsoffarmersthroughthePersonalDataProtectionAct28

4.2.Ensuringsufficientfinancingforinitiativestopromotetechnology-ledagriculturaltransformation:28

Singapore’sAgri-FoodClusterTransformationFund

4.2.1.BudgetingfortheAgri-FoodClusterTransformationFund28

4.2.2.Theroleofparliamentariansinthebudgetprocess30

5.Checklistforparliamentarians33

References39

Figures

Figure1-GuidanceforparliamentariansontheASEANGuidelinesonPromotingResponsible8

InvestmentinFood,Agriculture,andForestry

iv

FOREWORD

Iwouldliketotakethisopportunityto

congratulatetheFoodandAgriculture

OrganizationoftheUnitedNations

(FAO)andtheInternationalInstitute

forSustainableDevelopment(IISD)for

publishingthispracticalhandbookfor

AssociationofSoutheastAsianNations

(ASEAN)parliamentariansonpromoting

theapplicationoftheASEANGuidelineson

PromotingResponsibleInvestmentinFood,

Agriculture,andForestry(ASEANRAI).

Thisvaluablepublicationrecognizesthe

roleofparliamentariansinsupportingthe

implementationoftheASEANRAI.Iam

pleasedtonotethatthisworkisinlinewith

ASEAN’sgoaltoimprovefoodsecurityand

agrifooddevelopment,whichhasbeenone

ofthehighprioritymattersinASEAN.The

adoptionoftheASEANRAIin2018andthe

ActionPlanImplementationStrategyfor

theASEANRAIin2019aremilestonesfor

ASEANinprovidingvoluntaryguidelines

toitsMemberStategovernmentsandto

agribusiness,andotherkeystakeholdersin

SoutheastAsia.

ParliamentariansoftheASEANInter-

ParliamentaryAssembly(AIPA)

acknowledgethecriticalimportanceof

responsibleinvestmentinthedevelopment

ofagricultureandfoodsystemstoachieve

theSustainableDevelopmentGoals.

Further,theseparliamentarianshave

signalledtheiragreementinprinciple

withtheASEANRAIandcommittedto

strengthencooperationwithASEAN

MemberStatestoactivelyexercisethe

implementationoftheASEANRAIthrough

parliament’slegislativeapproach,as

demonstratedduringtheAIPAwebinaron

ResponsibleInvestmentinAgricultureand

FoodSystemsin2021.

Ihopethispublicationwillprovidehelpful

guidancetoparliamentariansinthe

realizationoftheASEANRAIandwillalso

beaninsightfulreadingontheroleof

ASEANparliamentariansinsupportingthe

promotionofresponsibleinvestmentfood,

agriculture,andforestry.

Thankyou,

NguyenTuongVan

Secretary-GeneralofAIPA(2019-2022)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thedraftingofthishandbookwasledby

SeanWoolfreyoftheInternationalInstitute

forSustainableDevelopment(IISD),in

collaborationwithSarahBrewin,Francine

PicardMukaziandRonaldTundangfrom

IISD,andEmmaJessieMcghiefrom

theFoodandAgricultureOrganization

oftheUnitedNations(FAO).Valuable

contributionstotheHandbookwerealso

madebyexpertsfromFAO,including

YannickFiedler,JanaHerold,TeresaLamas

Menéndez,AndrewNadeau,andVictor

QuezadaNavarro.Thelayoutandgraphic

designworkbyCarolinaSaizSuárezis

gratefullyacknowledged,aswellasinputs

tothelayoutbyMariaBarralandSally

MilletfromIISDandChiaraNicodemifrom

FAO.

FAOandIISDwouldliketothankthe

ASEANInter-ParliamentaryAssembly(AIPA)

Secretariat(FormerSecretaryGeneral

NguyenTuongVanandRoyyanHadela

Isnanda)fororganizingawebinaron

ResponsibleInvestmentinAgricultureand

FoodSystemsinNovember2021,during

whichtheideaforthishandbookstarted

totakeshape,andforgatheringfeedback

fromAIPAmembersonanearlierdraftofthe

handbook.IISDandFAOwouldalsoliketo

thanktheLegislativeResearchServiceofthe

HouseofRepresentativesoftheRepublic

ofthePhilippinesfordetailedfeedback

andJosephArbiolandcolleaguesfromthe

ASEANSecretariatfordisseminatingthe

drafthandbookforfeedbackfromASEAN

MemberStaterepresentatives.

v

?FAO/DavidHogsholt

CFS:CommitteeonWorldFoodSecurity

ABBREVIATIONSAND

ACRONYMS

ACTFund:Agri-FoodCluster

TransformationFund

AIPA:AsianInter-ParliamentaryAssembly

ASEANMemberStates:BruneiDarussalam,Cambodia,Indonesia,LaoPeople’sDemocraticRepublic,Malaysia,Myanmar,Philippines,Singapore,Thailand,VietNamASEAN-RAI:ASEANGuidelinesonPromotingResponsibleInvestmentinFood,Agriculture,andForestry

ASEAN:AssociationofSoutheastAsian

Nations

CFS-RAI:PrinciplesforResponsible

InvestmentinAgricultureandFood

Systems

ECOWAS:EconomicCommunityofWestAfricanStates

PARLATINO:Latin-AmericanParliament

PDPA:PersonalDataProtectionAct

RAI:Responsibleinvestmentinagriculture

andfoodsystems

SDGs:SustainableDevelopmentGoals

SMEs:Smallandmediumenterprises

vii

?FAO/LyraKyleChu

1.Introduction

1

2

1.1.Context

InSoutheastAsia,almost140million

people–justoveroneinfive–are

moderatelyorseverelyfoodinsecure,while

almost350millionpeoplecannotafford

ahealthydiet(FAO,IFAD,UNICEF,WFP

andWHO,2022).Substantialpublicand

privateinvestmentsinagricultureandfood

systems,1includinginforestryandfisheries,

areneededtoimprovefoodsecurityand

livelihoodsinSoutheastAsia.

Withitsabundanceofnaturalresources,

SoutheastAsiaalreadyattractsbillionsof

dollarsayearininvestmentinagriculture,

forestryandfisheries,asignificantportion

ofwhichisintra-regionalinvestment.While

suchinvestmentiscrucialforfoodsecurity,

povertyalleviation,economicgrowthand

buildingresiliencetoclimatechangeand

othershocks,itcanalsopresentrisks,

includingfortherightsandlivelihoodsof

localcommunitiesandfortheenvironment.

Whatisreallyneededareresponsible

investmentsinagricultureandfood

systems.Theseareinvestmentsthat

contributetosustainabledevelopmentby

generatingpositivesocioeconomicand

environmentalimpactssuchasimproved

foodsecurityandnutrition,betterprotected

ecosystems,andmoresustainableuseof

naturalresources.Responsibleinvestments

alsorespect,protect,andpromotehuman

rights,includingtherighttoadequatefood,

aswellastherightsoflocalcommunities.

Recognisingtheimportanceofresponsible

investmentinagricultureandfood

systemsforsustainabledevelopment

intheregion,MemberStatesofthe

AssociationofSoutheastAsianNations

(ASEAN)agreedtodevelopthe

ASEAN

GuidelinesonPromotingResponsible

InvestmentinFood,Agricultureand

Forestry

(ASEANRAI),whichwere

adoptedin2018(ATWGARD,2018).2The

ASEANRAI,describedinmoredetailin

thefollowingsection,representthefirst

regionaliterationofthe

Principlesfor

ResponsibleInvestmentinAgricultureand

FoodSystems(CFS-RAI)

adoptedbythe

CommitteeonWorldFoodSecurity(CFS)in2014(CFS,2014).

In2019,ASEANMemberStatesadopted

aten-yearactionplantooperationalise

theASEANRAIby2030.

TheActionPlan

mapsouttherolesandresponsibilities

ofdifferentactors–governmentofficials,

parliamentarians,investors,civilsociety,

andothers–withregardtointegratingthe

ASEANRAIprinciplesintonationallaws

andpolicies,investingresponsibly,and

empoweringstakeholderswithknowledge

toadvocateforresponsibleinvestment.3

ASEAN’sparliamentariansarekeyactors

inoperationalisingtheASEANRAI.

Theseguidelines,liketheCFS-RAI,are

voluntaryandnon-binding.Theyneedto

beintegratedintoappropriatenational

laws,policies,andinstitutionstopromote

responsibleinvestmentinpractice.With

1Agricultureandfoodsystemsencompassallactivitiesinvolvedintheproduction,processing,marketing,retail,

consumption,anddisposalofthefoodandnon-foodproductsofagriculture,pastoralism,fisheries,andforestry(CFS,2014).

2Atthe40thMeetingoftheASEANMinistersofAgricultureandForestryon11October2018inHanoi,VietNam.The

Guidelinesarealsoknownas“ASEANGuidelinesforResponsibleInvestmentinFood,Agriculture,andForestry.

3AsummaryoftheActionPlancanbefoundonlineat

/action-plan

.

3

theirlegislative,budgetaryandoversight

powers,ASEAN’sparliamentarianscan

ensurethishappensandtherebycontribute

toenablinglegal,policy,andinstitutional

environmentsforresponsibleinvestmentat

thenationallevel.

1.2.Thehandbook

ThishandbookaimstohelpASEAN

parliamentariansplaytheirrolein

operationalisingtheASEANRAI.Itisbased

on

Responsibleinvestmentsinagriculture

andfoodsystems:Apracticalhandbook

forparliamentariansandparliamentary

advisors

publishedbytheFoodand

AgricultureOrganizationoftheUnited

Nations(FAO)andtheInternationalInstitute

forSustainableDevelopment(IISD)in

2020.Itadaptsthatglobalhandbookto

theASEANcontextandprovidesASEAN

parliamentarianswithpracticalguidance

onhowtocontributetoanenabling

environmentforresponsibleinvestment

inagricultureandfoodsystemsintheir

countries,basedontheASEANRAI.

Inthefollowingsections,thishandbook

introducestheASEANRAIandexplains

theroleparliamentarianscanplayto

supporttheirimplementation,especiallyby

ensuringthattheASEANRAIarereflected

indomesticlaws.Thehandbookalso

providesexamplesofASEANMember

Statelawsandgoodpracticestopromote

responsibleinvestmentinagriculture

andfoodsystems.Thehandbook

concludeswithachecklistforASEAN’s

parliamentarians,summarisingkeyactions

theycantaketopromoteapplicationofthe

ASEANRAI.

?FAO/AlisaSuwanrumpha

?AIPA

14

5

2.TheroleofAssociationofSoutheastAsianNations(ASEAN)parliamentariansinpromotingresponsibleinvestmentinagricultureandfoodsystemsinSoutheastAsia

6

2.1.TheASEANGuidelinesonPromotingResponsibleInvestmentinFood,Agriculture,andForestry

The

ASEANRAI

arevoluntaryguidelines

aimedatASEANMemberState

governmentsandotherstakeholdersin

theregion.Theyprovideguidanceon

howtopromoteresponsiblepublicand

privateinvestmentinfood,agriculture,

andforestrythatcontributestoregional

economicdevelopment,improvedfood

securityandnutrition,greaterfoodsafety,

andthesustainableuseoftheregion’s

naturalresources.4Theyareinspiredby

andgroundedintheCFS-RAIandthe

SustainableDevelopmentGoals(SDGs)

butadaptedtospecificchallengesfacing

theASEANregion,particularlythose

relatedtolarge-scaleprivateinvestments.

TheASEANRAIweredeveloped

throughaninclusive,multistakeholder

process5toaddressincreasingdemand

forfoodintheASEANregiondueto

growingpopulations,risingincomesand

urbanization.6Thesetrendsmeanthat

agriculture,includingforestryandfisheries,

willcontinuetoattractsignificantforeign

(includingintra-regional)anddomestic

investment,particularlyindeveloping

regionsofASEAN.

Suchinvestmentisneededtogenerate

employment,sustaineconomicgrowth

andlivelihoods,andreduceruralpoverty

acrosstheregion,aswellastoimprove

foodsecurityandnutritionfortheregion’s

largeandincreasinglyurbanpopulation.

Yetinvestmentinagricultureandforestry

(e.g.infarmsandplantations)orinfood

processing(e.g.inprocessingplants

andrefineries)canentailsocialand

environmentalrisks.7

Large-scaleinvestmentsinlandcan

worsenindigenouspeoples’andlocal

communities’foodsecurity,suchas

whenlandisdivertedtoproducenon-

foodcropsorproductsdestinedmainly

forexport.Thisproblemhasbeen

particularlycommoninASEANMember

Stateswithlargeruralpopulations.Large-

scaleinvestmentsinlandcanalsolead

tothedisplacementandresettlement

oflocalcommunities.Investmentsin

food,agriculture,andforestryalso

riskexacerbatingtheunsustainable

exploitationofnaturalresources,suchas

throughdeforestationofASEAN’slarge

tractsofrainforest.

4MoreinformationontheASEANRAIcanbefoundonlineat:

/

.

5Inputwasprovidedfromstakeholdersfromgovernment,theprivatesectorandcivilsociety.

6TheASEANRAIwereinitiatedbytheASEANSecretariat,anddevelopedattheirrequestthroughaninclusive,multi-

stakeholderprocessby

GrowAsia,theInternationalInstituteforSustainableDevelopment(IISD),andtheFoodand

AgricultureOrganizationoftheUnitedNations(FAO)

.TheirdevelopmentwassupportedbytheSwissAgencyfor

DevelopmentandCooperation(SDC)andaWorldBankTrustFund,supportedbytheJapaneseMinistryofForeignAffairs.

7Formoreinformationonsuchrisks,see

/risks-and-opportunities

.

7

TheASEANRAIaimtomitigatesuchrisks.

TheydrawontheexperienceofASEAN

MemberStatesandinternationalgood

practicestoprovidetailoredguidanceto

ASEANgovernments,investors,andother

stakeholdersonhowtoensureinvestments

infood,agricultureandforestrycontribute

towardtheachievementofsocial,

economic,andenvironmentalbenefits,

whileminimizingnegativeimpacts.

TheASEANRAIaimtosupportthe

creationoffavorableconditionsto

attractresponsibleinvestmentinfood,

agriculture,andforestryinASEANby

providingguidancetoASEANMember

Statesonhowtoestablishclearand

appropriatepolicy,legal,institutional,and

regulatoryframeworks.Theyalsoprovide

aframeworkandroadmaptoguideother

stakeholders(suchastheprivatesector,

communitiesandcivilsociety)ontheir

rolesandresponsibilitiesinpromoting

responsibleagriculturalinvestmentsand

inclusiveandsustainableagriculturalvalue

chains.TheASEANRAIarealignedwith

otherASEANinitiativesonfood,agriculture

andforestryincludingthe

Visionand

StrategicPlanforASEANCooperation

inFood,AgricultureandForestry(2016-

2025)

,the

ASEANRegionalGuidelineson

FoodSecurityandNutritionPolicy(2017)

,

the

ASEANPublic-PrivatePartnerships

RegionalFrameworkforTechnology

DevelopmentintheFood,Agriculture

andForestry(FAF)Sectors(2017)

andthe

ASEANIntegratedFoodSecurity(AIFS)

FrameworkandStrategicPlanofActionon

FoodSecurityintheASEANRegion(SPA-

FS)2021-2025

.

?UNEP/TaufanyEriz

8

Figure1-GuidanceforparliamentariansontheASEANGuidelinesonPromotingResponsible

InvestmentinFood,Agriculture,andForestry

Guidanceforparliamentariansonthe

ASEANRAI

context,theASEANRAIcomprisetenguidingprinciples

topromoteresponsibleinvestmentinfood,agriculture

andforestry.Theseprinciplesrelateto:

GUIDELINE1

Foodsecurity,foodsafetyandnutrition

GUIDELINE2

Sustainable,equitableandinclusiveeconomic

developmentandpovertyeradication

GUIDELINE3

Equality,engagementandempowermentforwomen,

youngpeople,indigenouspeoplesandmarginalized

groups

GUIDELINE4

Respectfortenureofland,fisheriesand

forests,andaccesstowater

GUIDELINE5

Conservationandsustainablemanagementof

naturalresources,especiallyforests

GUIDELINE6

Sustainableandappropriatetechnologies

andpractices

GUIDELINE7

Climatechangemitigationandresiliencetoclimate

change,naturaldisastersandothershocks

GUIDELINE8

Goodgovernanceandruleoflaw

GUIDELINE9

Impactassessmentsandaccountabi