Japan Feature Package Food Securıty

epa02127893 Hideyuki Itoh, the ninth generation heir of a wealthy farming family, explains the details of his family's Buddhist altar at his family estate, the Northern Culture Museum in Niigata city, Niigata province, Japan, 20 April 2010. The Itoh family, which once owned one-tenth of the rice fields in Niigata province works actively to promote local farming culturetraditions through the activities of the estate museum. 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