The urgency for change in Asia's food system comes largely from the fact that Asian populations are growing, urbanising and changing food tastes too quickly for many of the regions’ food systems to cope with. Asian cities are dense and are expected to expand by 578m people by 2030. China, Indonesia and India will account for three quarters of these new urban dwellers.

To study what are the biggest challenges for change, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) surveyed 400 business leaders in Asia’s food industry. According to the respondents, 90% are concerned about their local food system’s ability to meet food security needs, but only 32% feel their organisations have the ability to determine the success of their food systems. Within this gap is a shifting balance of responsibility between the public and private sectors, a tension that needs to and can be strategically addressed.

What will Asian food systems look like in 2030? There is no simple answer to this question, because Asia encompasses a complex mix of countries, divided by borders, policies, cultures, uneven development and other socioeconomic differences. There is no single “Asian” food system, and Asia cannot be analysed as a single entity. 

Experts recognise that existing food systems will not remain stagnant as Asia urbanises and grows ever more populous. However, discussions around diet, food supply and food security often focus on Asia as a whole, rather than focusing on its different sub-regions and countries. This broad approach masks complex and often divergent policy and societal concerns, and it also risks strategic misalignment when preparing for the future. In light of this, how are companies and policymakers strategising for the future? How prepared are they to identify where divergence will remain, and where cities and countries will converge into similar food landscapes?

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Download report Separate tables: Bringing together Asia's food systems