Strategic Framework for Food Management in Thailand for 2012-2016.

This Strategic Framework for Food Management in Thailand is a sectoral policy document at national level for the period of 2012-2016. The Policy sets its Vision as: Thailand can produce safe and high quality food and have sustainable food security for the people of Thailand and the world. The Objectives are: 1. To increase the efficiency of resource management for sustainable national food production. 2. To ensure that food products from households, communities and industries are of good standard, conform to food safety standards and are of high nutritional value. 3. To create food education and research systems to generate a body of knowledge on all food production aspects, including the distribution of knowledge to interested agencies. 4. To improve the efficiency of the food management system, including food related laws and information system, etc. 5. To create food security in households and communities during normal times and during emergencies.
Four Strategic Themes are proposed to achieve these objectives, namely:1 Food Security; Food Quality and Food Safety; 3 Food Education 4 Food Management. Under the Strategic Theme 1 Food Security, it is requested to create food security in Thailand and to manage resources for efficient food production with the participation of all sectors. The Strategies include: 1. Accelerate land reform and agricultural area protection. 2. Manage water and land resources for agriculture and community forests. 3. Find a balance between food crops and energy crops production. 4. Improve food production efficiency. 5. Create motivation for agricultural as an occupation and increase the number of young agriculturists. 6. Promote food access among households and at the community level. 7. Develop and improve logistic systems for agricultural and food products. 8. Create collaboration between governmental agencies, the private sector and the Thai people for food security protection. 9. Research and develop technologies and innovations at every step of food production. 10. Create an emergency plan for food security during emergencies.
The Policy seeks to oversee food quality and food safety in the food production chain to protect consumers both domestic and international level businesses, and consider that this is essential to address poverty among agriculturists. the following Strategies are developed: 1. Standardize food safety and promote its implementation; 2. Improve the quality and safety of primary food products and increase their nutritional value; 3. Support and oversee food production at the community level to prevent losses and increase product value; 4. Support and oversee food production at all industrial levels; 5. Promote the trade and marketing of standard products from community and industrial levels; 6. Strengthen control and monitoring of national food quality and food safety; etc.
Regarding to increasing the resilience of livelihoods to disasters, one of the expected outcomes is that Thailand will have a good and effective food management system that can respond to any situation, both in normal times and in emergency circumstances.