Gensanportal - Mindanao News Blog

DAVAO CITY — Key officials from the private sector and government of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) met recently to beef up efforts in making the sub-region the ASEAN’s “food basket” during the 8th BIMP-EAGA Natural Resources Development (NRD) meeting in General Santos City last month.

According to Dr. Rolando Dy, executive director of the Center for Food and Agri-Business, BIMP-EAGA’s rich and diverse marine and terrestrial resources can contribute to the achievement of the food basket initiative.

“BIMP-EAGA can aspire to be the mariculture center, aquaculture center, niche chicken supplier (halal) and supplier of primary and intermediate products,” he said.

He said that BIMP-EAGA must improve the supply-value chain, strengthen collaboration and move on to logistics initiatives.

The three-day NRD cluster meeting discussed sub-regional concerns in the areas of agro-industry, fisheries development, environment and energy.

The meeting agreed to adopt the list of commodities for food security agenda which includes food crops, fruits, vegetables, rootcrops, livestock, fisheries, and vegetables. Meanwhile, seaweeds, fisheries and vegetable oils comprise the export development agenda.

Likewise, the fisheries working group also identified flagship commodities under the food basket initiative and agreed to prioritize bangus, tilapia and pangasius for food security and expansion of trade.

Under the fisheries cooperation working group, the NRD meeting identified for 2010 joint venture and cooperation initiatives in the areas of seaweed production, development of high-value aquaculture through business matching activities among others, and the BIMP-EAGA Fisheries Consortium.

On the joint cooperation on the development of High-value aquaculture, the meeting reported that 26 private sector delegates participated in the business matching sessions and explored business partnerships.

Results of the business matching will be monitored by the BIMP-EAGA National Secretariats, with the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) as Philippines’ Coordinating Office.

The meeting was held along with the Mindanao-Palawan Business Forum and Matching where six proposals between private and government sectors in BIMP-EAGA were explored.

Various fresh produce and processed foods from different regions in Mindanao and Palawan were displayed at the 8th Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Natural Resources Development (NRD) Cluster Meeting held last week in General Santos City. Mindanao, along with Palawan, as BIMP-EAGA focus areas in the Philippines, is being eyed and developed as "food basket" to the ASEAN. MinDA

During the meeting, MI Noos Manufacturing of Butuan City and PYKES Corporation of Brunei Darussalam signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the production of coconut sugar and marketing of the same to international markets.

For the environment sector, BIMP-EAGA will focus on sustainable forest and biodiversity management in Borneo, climate change adaptation and ecotourism development.

The energy sector will focus on completing the study on the establishment of the West Kalimantan-Sarawak Transmission Line for the conventional energy component, as well as developing a common approach to renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. A product exhibit on major Mindanao agricultural products and an on-site tour in a mango plantation in Malungon, Sarangani were also conducted as part of the three-day BIMP-EAGA meeting. MinDA

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