MALAYSIA WILL HOST D8 AGRO MINISTERS MEETING

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 21 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will host the Developing 8 (D8) Agriculture Ministers Meeting in Kuala Lumpur from Feb 25-27.

Themed "D8 Cooperation on Food Guarantee," the meeting would be opened by
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed said the
meeting would discuss ways to guarantee adequate food supply for member
countries.

"It will also focus on efforts to plan strategies so that member countries
can become major food producers capable of meeting their own needs.

"Many D8 countries including Malaysia are facing food supply problem as they
have become nett food importers," he said.

Mustapa said the meeting would initiate private sector cooperation to ensure
adequate production and supply of fertilisers, animal feed and discuss plans to
set up a seed bank.

"These three aspects have been identified as critical to guarantee the
production of quality agriculture produce for D8 countries," he added.

D8 is a grouping of developing Muslim countries comprising Malaysia,
Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey.
-- BERNAMA