ID :
210894
Mon, 10/03/2011 - 14:08
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/210894
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LOCAL AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY WELL DIVERSIFIED, SAYS HARVARD PROFESSOR
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 (Bernama) -- Malaysia does not need to be too concerned about declining rice production as the local agriculture industry is well diversified into fruit and vegetable production and, live stock breeding, says a renowned Harvard professor.
C.Peter Timmer, Professor of Development Studies, Emeritus, Harvard
University said the future of the local agricultural industry was in remaining highly diversified, although Asia's rice production faced various challenges and was likely to be unstable, going forward.
"You (Malaysia) are rich enough and smart enough to make investments and actually you don't have to grow your own rice. That's not what I will be concerned about.
"You should be concerned about where your supply of chicken or dairy is coming from and if they are safe for consumption. You also have rich marine resources which should be protected at all times as that is the future of food security in Malaysia," he said after delivering a talk on "Managing Volatile Food Prices: Options At The Macro and Micro Levels", here on Monday.
Projections suggest a significant decline in Asian rice consumption over the next 10 to 20 years due to rapid income growth, as well as, huge migration shift from rural to urban areas, he added.
However, the professor said rice demand still remained important as it was significant to poor consumers.
He also pointed out that food security in Asia had traditionally focused on rice production, marketing and consumption but rapid economic growth and structural transformation was redefining the needs of Asia.
"Countries should have larger rice reserves. They should find out how the rice trade works so as to benefit from it.
"Asia has rice reserves of 50,000 tonnes which can only be used in an emergency like during a tsunami. We need to think of a way to use the 50,000 tonnes for price stability," he added.
Touching on challenges ahead, Professor Timmer said climatic change would be a real challenge to rice production.
-- BERNAMA
C.Peter Timmer, Professor of Development Studies, Emeritus, Harvard
University said the future of the local agricultural industry was in remaining highly diversified, although Asia's rice production faced various challenges and was likely to be unstable, going forward.
"You (Malaysia) are rich enough and smart enough to make investments and actually you don't have to grow your own rice. That's not what I will be concerned about.
"You should be concerned about where your supply of chicken or dairy is coming from and if they are safe for consumption. You also have rich marine resources which should be protected at all times as that is the future of food security in Malaysia," he said after delivering a talk on "Managing Volatile Food Prices: Options At The Macro and Micro Levels", here on Monday.
Projections suggest a significant decline in Asian rice consumption over the next 10 to 20 years due to rapid income growth, as well as, huge migration shift from rural to urban areas, he added.
However, the professor said rice demand still remained important as it was significant to poor consumers.
He also pointed out that food security in Asia had traditionally focused on rice production, marketing and consumption but rapid economic growth and structural transformation was redefining the needs of Asia.
"Countries should have larger rice reserves. They should find out how the rice trade works so as to benefit from it.
"Asia has rice reserves of 50,000 tonnes which can only be used in an emergency like during a tsunami. We need to think of a way to use the 50,000 tonnes for price stability," he added.
Touching on challenges ahead, Professor Timmer said climatic change would be a real challenge to rice production.
-- BERNAMA
