Japan Feature Package Food Securıty

epa02127883 Foricafoods Corp. produced 'Disaster Foods'  products that self heat using special chemical compounds on display at  Niigata University, Uonuma city, Niigata province, Japan, 20 April 2010. In conjunction with the university, local food companies are researching the development of tasty, healthyeasy to use disaster foods for emergency relief. The development program started in response to the need to provide large quantities of emergency relief foods following recent Japanese earthquakes. In order to reduce Japan's dependency on food importsmake farming more financially viable, Niigata Universitylocal food producers are exploring new uses of rice, such as rice flour for bread baking. Food Security has become a global issue. Securing safesufficient food supplies to feed the world's growing populations while maintaining fertileirrigable agricultural land are issues for both developingadvanced countries alike. In 2010, ministerial leaders of APEC countries will meet for the first time ever to discuss these issues at the APEC Ministerial Meeting on Food Security, on 16-17 October in Niigata city in western Japan. Ranked lowest in food self sufficiency among 12 developed countries, according to a Japanese government study, Japan is able to provide only 40 percent of the calorie intact needs of its population. Niigata, the host of this APEC Food Security meeting, is home to Japan's most fertile rice producing region. This picture package focuses on recent efforts being made in Niigata to strengthen the economic viability of farming in order to boost Japan's self sufficiencyfood security outlook.  EPA/EVERETT KENNEDY BROWN