ID :
47120
Mon, 02/23/2009 - 16:58
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/47120
The shortlink copeid
D-8 TO FOCUS ON PRIVATE SECTOR-LED INITIATIVES
A news analysis by Mikhail Raj Abdullah
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- The three-day D-8 ministerial meeting on food security beginning Wednesday is crucial to kick-start private sector-led initiatives to create seed banks, ensure supply of quality fertilizer and animal feed.
Rather than grandiose projects, it is good for D-8 to zoom in on these
practical and specific projects as seed banks, fertilizers and animal feeds are
critical inputs to ensure increased agricultural outputs.
They can also help member nations to partly achieve self-sufficiency in
agriculture.
An encouraging aspect of the meeting hosted by Malaysia will be
presentations from the private sector. Conglomerate Sime Darby will give a
presentation on seed banks, Federal Land Development Authority (Felda)
(feedstock) and Petronas (fertilizer).
This is because as in all programmes, the private sector has to play a
pivotal role in undertaking projects which will ensure food security in Islamic
nations along with support from governments and international organisations.
Towards this end, there will be a business leaders' meeting involving chief
executive officers and representatives of companies, organisations, Food and
Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and chambers of commerce from D-8 countries.
Hopefully, this will lead to D-8 countries and companies producing these
agricultural inputs in areas or countries where they have comparative advantage.
Food to feed the world's hungry is getting much more expensive with the
problem particularly acute in the poorer Islamic states such as Bangladesh,
Pakistan and several African nations.
Hence, the three-day D-8 meeting, to be opened by Prime Minister
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Wednesday, is undoubtedly a definitive step towards
implementing these agricultural projects.
D-8 members comprising Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia,
Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey must work towards pooling resources to take
effective follow-up actions.
They must also endeavour to step up agricultural collaborations as well as
trade and investment linkages which at this stage are not too encouraging for
greater business networking among member states.
The D-8 was set up in 1997 in Istanbul, Turkey, as a mechanism for
development and cooperation among the eight nations of the Organisation of
Islamic Conference (OIC).
When Malaysia hosted the D-8 Summit in July last year, it was held against a
backdrop of crippling food and energy crises.
While oil prices have now dropped sharply, food supply is still inadequate
in poor Muslim countries.
Abdullah then pushed for the D-8 to address food security quickly which
consequently led to the upcoming ministers meeting.
Muslim nations must respond to the Prime Minister's call positively as
prices of essential food commodities have been steadily on the rise for quite
some time.
According to newsreports, a famine cannot be discounted in the Islamic
world. If and when this happens, member countries must be ready to take quick
action to help those in need.
At this juncture, what is vital is to implement capacity-building programmme
to ensure food security among member states besides setting up financing
mechanisms to ensure a steady supply of food.
It is encouraging to note that the projects being mooted so far for the
meeting are both practical and can be implemented relatively quickly.
For instance, firms can invest in Islamic countries that own vast tracts
of agricultural land, enjoy an abundance of water but lack of infrastructures
and skilled labour.
Indonesia is a case in point.
Home to the world's largest Muslim populace, Jakarta can start renting out
land for agricultural purposes such as seed and fertilizer production and for
breeding cattle as soon as possible.
With the right investments, Malaysia too can be home to agricultural
projects undertaken for D-8 countries.
Given the magnitude of the task at hand, it is vital for governments and
private sector to move quickly to undertake cross-border projects quickly.
This will help raise food supply and provide basic foods to poor people in
Islamic countries and to those in need.
Resources from a D-8 fund can also be disbursed to encourage joint
ventures in agricultural production.
A severe lack of food can lead to a political crisis, something that some
Muslim nations are grappling with domestic unrest can do without.
Food production must be increased to avert conflict.
The ministerial meeting in Kuala Lumpur is therefore crucial to get D-8
countries to get their acts together and effectively address food shortages in a
comprehensive manner.
Ministers are expected to unveil and adopt a joint action plan known as the
"KL-Statement: Initiatives to Address Food Security by D-8 countries."
There is no quick-fix solution but they must join hands to resolve the
issue. Otherwise, they will be courting disaster, both economically and
politically.
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- The three-day D-8 ministerial meeting on food security beginning Wednesday is crucial to kick-start private sector-led initiatives to create seed banks, ensure supply of quality fertilizer and animal feed.
Rather than grandiose projects, it is good for D-8 to zoom in on these
practical and specific projects as seed banks, fertilizers and animal feeds are
critical inputs to ensure increased agricultural outputs.
They can also help member nations to partly achieve self-sufficiency in
agriculture.
An encouraging aspect of the meeting hosted by Malaysia will be
presentations from the private sector. Conglomerate Sime Darby will give a
presentation on seed banks, Federal Land Development Authority (Felda)
(feedstock) and Petronas (fertilizer).
This is because as in all programmes, the private sector has to play a
pivotal role in undertaking projects which will ensure food security in Islamic
nations along with support from governments and international organisations.
Towards this end, there will be a business leaders' meeting involving chief
executive officers and representatives of companies, organisations, Food and
Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and chambers of commerce from D-8 countries.
Hopefully, this will lead to D-8 countries and companies producing these
agricultural inputs in areas or countries where they have comparative advantage.
Food to feed the world's hungry is getting much more expensive with the
problem particularly acute in the poorer Islamic states such as Bangladesh,
Pakistan and several African nations.
Hence, the three-day D-8 meeting, to be opened by Prime Minister
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Wednesday, is undoubtedly a definitive step towards
implementing these agricultural projects.
D-8 members comprising Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia,
Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey must work towards pooling resources to take
effective follow-up actions.
They must also endeavour to step up agricultural collaborations as well as
trade and investment linkages which at this stage are not too encouraging for
greater business networking among member states.
The D-8 was set up in 1997 in Istanbul, Turkey, as a mechanism for
development and cooperation among the eight nations of the Organisation of
Islamic Conference (OIC).
When Malaysia hosted the D-8 Summit in July last year, it was held against a
backdrop of crippling food and energy crises.
While oil prices have now dropped sharply, food supply is still inadequate
in poor Muslim countries.
Abdullah then pushed for the D-8 to address food security quickly which
consequently led to the upcoming ministers meeting.
Muslim nations must respond to the Prime Minister's call positively as
prices of essential food commodities have been steadily on the rise for quite
some time.
According to newsreports, a famine cannot be discounted in the Islamic
world. If and when this happens, member countries must be ready to take quick
action to help those in need.
At this juncture, what is vital is to implement capacity-building programmme
to ensure food security among member states besides setting up financing
mechanisms to ensure a steady supply of food.
It is encouraging to note that the projects being mooted so far for the
meeting are both practical and can be implemented relatively quickly.
For instance, firms can invest in Islamic countries that own vast tracts
of agricultural land, enjoy an abundance of water but lack of infrastructures
and skilled labour.
Indonesia is a case in point.
Home to the world's largest Muslim populace, Jakarta can start renting out
land for agricultural purposes such as seed and fertilizer production and for
breeding cattle as soon as possible.
With the right investments, Malaysia too can be home to agricultural
projects undertaken for D-8 countries.
Given the magnitude of the task at hand, it is vital for governments and
private sector to move quickly to undertake cross-border projects quickly.
This will help raise food supply and provide basic foods to poor people in
Islamic countries and to those in need.
Resources from a D-8 fund can also be disbursed to encourage joint
ventures in agricultural production.
A severe lack of food can lead to a political crisis, something that some
Muslim nations are grappling with domestic unrest can do without.
Food production must be increased to avert conflict.
The ministerial meeting in Kuala Lumpur is therefore crucial to get D-8
countries to get their acts together and effectively address food shortages in a
comprehensive manner.
Ministers are expected to unveil and adopt a joint action plan known as the
"KL-Statement: Initiatives to Address Food Security by D-8 countries."
There is no quick-fix solution but they must join hands to resolve the
issue. Otherwise, they will be courting disaster, both economically and
politically.
