Agriculture

Dans le but de stimuler davantage la production locale et de se protéger contre une nouvelle instabilité des prix, le gouvernement marocain a mis en place, au cours des derniers mois, un certain nombre d’initiatives visant à renforcer la culture, la distribution et la vente de produits agricoles de base.

The Philippines is looking to encourage the development of organic farming, seen as a niche agriculture sector ripe with opportunity for the country. With the proper support, organic farming could work to boost high-value agricultural exports as well as incomes in the agriculture sector, which currently employs more than 30% of the nation’s labour force.

Indonesia is stepping up efforts to become self sufficient in rice production while also building a safety net with imported stockpiles, though a decision by Thailand to scrap a key sales agreement briefly tore a hole in the net that Jakarta officials were left scrambling to repair.

Despite criticism from economists, a new national rice policy committee, chaired by Thailand’s recently appointed Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, and approved by her new cabinet, is moving ahead on a promise to buy rice from farmers at well above global prices.

Indonesia’s palm oil sector is looking to adopt more sustainable practices in a bid to alleviate growing environmental concerns while meeting rising global demand.

Brunei Darussalam is ramping up efforts to increase its rice harvest – seen as core to its policy of strengthening food security – turning to newly developed high-yield grains and improved technology to raise production, though it will be some years before the Sultanate comes close to its goal of meeting most of its domestic needs with home-grown crops.