Brunei's Local News - Brudirect.com

Bandar Seri Begawan - Food security will be a priority issue at the Apec (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) Leaders' Week as members are deeply concerned about the continuing impact the volatile food prices have on the well-being of citizens across the Asia-Pacific region.

This mirrors with His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam's deep concerns expressed in his titah early this year of soaring food and oil prices in the wake of the global food crisis that sparked global anxieties with the production of basic cereals, including rice, plummeting drastically in producing countries.

In the titah to mark the ruler's 62nd birthday, His Majesty called the nation to adopt a strategic plan and national agricultural policy, which among others would guarantee national food security.

Brunei Darussalam is working with partners for possible actions to foster the development and growth of the agricultural sector, increase food

and agriculture trade and promote development and adoption of new technologies.

Through technical cooperation and knowledge sharing, Apec helps economies to reach their full potential by building the capacity of people and governments.

In terms of promoting the growth and productivity of the agricultural sector in the Asia-Pacific, Apec hopes to foster investment and finance in the agriculture sector, including rural microfinance, and raise awareness of sustainable agricultural methods including improved land management, organic farming and use of advanced technologies among others.

Apec is also committed to expanding regional food trade as an important means for providing food for the people of the Asia-Pacific region and for promoting prosperity in rural areas.

At the 2008 meeting of the Ministers Responsible for Trade, Apec members recognized the importance of avoiding export restrictions on food as they may prolong and deepen the severity of the food crisis by putting further pressure on global food prices and discouraging the agricultural investment needed to increase further production.

Apec economies further seek to learn from the experiences of other members to develop better policies for fostering healthy agricultural sectors and is also working actively to help ensure that food products traded in the region are safe for consumption. This includes initiatives to enhance regulatory, inspection and certification systems; strengthen technical and human resource capacity; foster adoption of international food safety standards and promote regional communication on food safety.

Apec is deemed as a valuable venue for fostering dialogue and cooperation on agricultural technology, which is critical to meeting short and long-term food security challenges. This includes efforts to improve farmers' income and productive capacities through agricultural technology transfer and training and to create an overall environment that fosters agricultural research and development, as well as investment and trade in technology.

People of the Asia-Pacific benefit from the collective and individual actions of Apec member economies in various ways. Direct benefits include increased job opportunities and training programs, stronger social safety nets and poverty reduction.

Apec member economies on average enjoy a lower cost of living because of reduced trade barriers and a more economically competitive region helps to lower prices for goods and services that everyone needs on a daily basis from food to clothes to mobile phones. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin