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2OPENING PROGRAMKeynote SpeechSlide No. 4 of the keynote speakerprovided a graphic description of whatcould happen if food security is underthreat. With his presentation, Dr. PaulS. Teng, Senior Fellow on Food Securityat the Centre for Non-TraditionalSecurity Studies of the RajaratnamSchool of International Studies (RSIS)in Singapore, connected the many dotsrepresenting the complex set of issuessurrounding climate change, giving amost fitting context for the conference.He underscored that it is not climatechange per se that is of concern, butrather its impact, which is particularlyfelt in environmental and food security.Food security, Dr. Teng explained, goesbeyond food production. People haveto have physical and economic access tofood, which has to be in the right amount and quality to meet dietary needs and preferences. He citeda number of studies explaining the impacts - actual and anticipated (i.e., modeling) - of climate changeon agriculture and food availability. He further stated that the world has become an urbanized society,and that climate change impacts in the rural areas also affect people in the cities because most of thefood is grown in the countryside. Acute symptoms of such effects are the food riots, mostly in cities,brought about by shortages and price hikes in staple food products.Dr. Teng declared that dealing with the effects and impacts of climate change especially on foodsecurity will require a multisectoral, multilateral, multidisciplinary, integrated approach. To underscorethe urgency of the task at hand, he stressed that the time to act is now.Conference Overview and Openingof Poster ExhibitDr. Felino P. Lansigan, who co-chairs the Interdisciplinary Program on Climate Change (IdPCC) at theUniversity of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), provided an overview of the conference. He explainedthe rationale for ICCCIAFES, its objectives, mechanics for the different presentations, and the range oftopics that will be covered during the two-day event. He also showed a slide outlining the number andcomposition of participants by continent or region. Dr. Lansigan thanked all the conference partnerinstitutions, the participants, presenters, session chairs and rapporteurs, and the support team fromSEARCA and UPLB.Dr. Mariliza V. Ticsay, head of SEARCA’s Knowledge Resources Unit, invited everyone to view theposter exhibits that were set up at the Drilon Hall Lobby. She encouraged participants to visit theexhibits during session breaks as these will be on display until the end of the conference. Posterpresenters would be on hand to answer questions or comments about them.International Conference on Climate Change Impactsand Adaptation for Food and Environmental SecurityConference Summary Report