LID MEMBERS MULLING OVER CREATION OF AGRO-BANK

By D.Arul Rajoo and Muin Abdul Majid

PUTRAJAYA, June 21 (Bernama) -- To boost food security, Langkawi
International Dialogue (LID) 2011 participants are mulling over the creation of
a regional agro-bank for greater access to micro-credit schemes.

Leaders who attended the dialogue acknowledged the urgency to address the
issue of food shortage in Africa and recognised the potential of countries well-
endowed with resources to respond positively to food crises.

"Further, they recognised the need to turn Africa from a food deficient
continent to a food providing continent," according to the Outcome Document "The
Way Forward", released at the end of the three-day dialogue here which was
attended by 14 countries, mostly from Africa.

The participants reckoned that the proposed agro-bank would ease the supply
side constraints in agricultural inputs to boost food production in short,
medium and long term.

The members also agreed to deepen cooperation, including joint ventures and
private sector involvement, especially on research and development, to produce
fertiliser and animal feed.

"They expressed great concern on the issue of food security, and on the need
to address the global shortage and increase in the prices of food items which
posed a serious threat to socio-economic growth," said the document.

The participants recognised that the challenges facing LID-participating
countries were becoming more complex and inter-related, requiring greater
collaborative efforts.

Prime Minister of Malaysia Najib Tun Razak chaired the dialogue that was
attended by African leaders such as Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, Tanzanian
President Jakaya Kikwete, Prime Minister Pakalitha Bethuel Mosisili of
Lesotho, Swaziland Prime Minister Barnabas Sibusiso, Ugandan Vice-President
Edward Sekandi and Kenyan Vice-President Stephen Kalonzo.

About 540 participants from the government, private sector, academia and
civil society, as well as representatives from the Commonwealth Partnership for
Technology Management also participated in the dialogue.

The inaugural Malaysia-Africa Business Forum was held on June 18.

In the outcome document, participants also stated the importance of using
social media and information and communications technology as a strategic tool
for better delivery system for governments and to utilise it as a tool to
deliver education.

The heads of state and government also welcomed Malaysia's proposal on
'Global Movement of the Moderates' and acknowledged the importance of mobilising
the movement to overcome the problem of extremism by overwhelming the voice of
the extremists.

Malaysia's assistance to African and Caribbean countries through the
Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programe was also commended by the participants,
as well as its offer to provide short-term courses focusing on the
transformation agenda being implemented in Malaysia, at the Razak School of
Government in Putrajaya.

They also lauded Limkokwing University of Creative Technology's offer of
scholarships worth RM12 million to deserving students from LID member-countries.