Regional governance, food security and rice reserves in East Asia

Many underlying systemic issues that produced the surge in global food prices in 2007-08 continue to exist today. This study proposes that these complex and interconnected transnational issues cannot be adequately addressed solely on a national basis, but instead require broader regional cooperation. This paper will assess the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve as an exemplar of regional cooperation in relation to addressing food insecurity. It is posited that while regional food reserves do have some limitations, they can benefit countries facing food emergencies and are an effective way of promoting regional cooperation and mutual assistance among countries, amid the challenges posed by increasing instability and price volatility in the contemporary global food system.