Japan Feature Package Food Securıty

epa02127879 A Japanese employee inspects the vineyards at 'Cave D'occi Winery' in Kakuda city, Niigata province, Japan, 20 April 2010. The European style winery started 18 years ago was established by owner Kiichiro Occi to realize his dream of establishing a real winery in Japan after having studied wine making in Germany. The wineryadjoining restaurants which produce hams, sausageother European foods are popular among local people. His business supports the local farming economyreduces the dependency on foodwine imports. 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