Agriculture
From The Report: Brunei Darussalam 2016
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In 2007-08 South-east Asia was hit by an unprecedented shortage of staple food products. A number of factors have been blamed for this event, including droughts, a surge in costs, low stockpiles, increasing demand from growing middle-class populations and speculation over commodity prices. In response, the governments of many countries in the region embarked on efforts to ensure that they would not be caught out by food shortages again. Brunei Darussalam was no exception to this, with the Sultanate moving quickly to priorities food security and increased self-sufficiency as key aims of its economic development plans. Since then, agriculture and fisheries, agri-business, aquaculture, and food research and development (R&D) have all been prioritized, with impressive results in some sub sectors. At the same time, Brunei Darussalam has also been working to make a name for itself globally as a key halal food center, bringing a rigorous examination and certification program to the international halal table. This chapter contains an interview with Dato Ali Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Seeds of growth: The Sultanate is exploring diverse means of assuring food security, including agro-industry and rice cultivation
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In 2007-08, South-east Asia was hit by an unprecedented shortage of staple food products. A number of factors have been blamed for the disaster, including droughts, a surge in costs, low stockpiles, increasing demand from growing middle-class populations and speculation over commodity prices. In response, the governments of many countries in the region embarked on efforts to ensure that they would not be caught out by food shortages again. Brunei Darussalam was no exception to this, with the Sultanate…

Interview

Taking action: OBG talks to Dato Ali Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism
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Interview:Dato Ali Apong How do you see the primary resources and tourism sectors playing a major role in the development and growth of the country’s economy? DATO ALI APONG: The Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) is committed to ensuring that the primary resources and tourism sectors or industries become significant contributors to the development and growth of the country’s economy, particularly the non-oil and gas sector. This is in line with His Majesty the Sultan and…

Analysis

Fruits of the sea: Fishing and aquaculture hold great promise for the economy
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With recent official forecasts of the Sultanate’s aquaculture sector turning into a BN$2bn ($1.4bn) industry, even as Brunei Darussalam continues to be one of South-east Asia’s top consumers of fish, the marine food sector looks set for major expansion in the years ahead. Aquaculture in particular dovetails with the Sultanate’s wider plans to boost its food processing industry, largely channelled through its halal food certification programme, which the government hopes will attract agri-food…