ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE FOOD FOCUS OF D-8

By Ayu Dalita Pendek

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 19 (Bernama) -- Policy makers from developing Islamic
countries will gather in Kuala Lumpur next week to ensure its people enjoy
sufficient food supply at reasonable prices.

The D-8 Ministers' Meeting on Food Security from Feb 25 to 27, is seen as an
initiative to cooperate in agricultural projects while other sectors are slowing
down due to the economic downturn.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed said there
should be efforts to ensure food supply was accessible and affordable.

The meeting will also discuss last year's price hike of grains.

"Our meeting will also focus on how to increase and improve the quality of
seeds so that food production is increased and food prices, lower," he told
Bernama here.

To realise these efforts, three initiatives will be outlined at the meeting.
They are:
* large scale production of fertiliser;
* large supply of animal feed; and,
* development of a seed bank.

The meeting came from a proposal by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
last July at the 6th D-8 Summit in Kuala Lumpur, where it was decided that
member countries cooperate to overcome the problem of skyrocketing food
prices.

Mustapa said national petroleum company Petronas, Felda (Federal Land
Development Authority) and Sime Darby would also be directly involved with the
meeting this year.

"Petronas will present a working paper on fertiliser, Felda will focus on
animal feed while plans for the development of a seed bank will be presented by
Sime Darby," he said.

Mustapa said the three companies would implement the proposed plans.

All agreements reached at the meeting will be followed up by the
agriculture and agro-based industy ministry and Wisma Putra (Foreign Ministry),
and will also be continuously monitored by the D-8 Secretariat based in
Istanbul, Turkey.

The meeting will also adopt a Kuala Lumpur Declaration to forge a joint
venture among the eight countries to implement the three initiatives and
cooperation with the private sector to carry out large-scale agriculture
projects.

The eight countries that make up D-8 are Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh,
Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Egypt and Nigeria, while Saudi Arabia, Brunei and Qatar
will be present as guests.

Also taking part are 26 private companies from Malaysia and abroad, as well
as representatives from the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, the Islamic
Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the Food and Agriculture
Organisation of the United Nations.

The D-8 was formed in 1997 as a forum to increase cooperation in various
sectors to improve the economy of member countries.
-- BERNAMA