HM stresses on zero poverty and raised self-sufficiency
Customary 'titah': His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, delivering his 'titah' in conjunction with the celebration of Hijrah 1430 Islamic new year at Istana Nurul Iman. Picture: BT/Zamri Zainal
HADI DP MAHMUD
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Monday, December 29, 2008
HIS Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday called for continued improvements in the country's standard of living to achieve zero poverty and accelerate efforts to raise the nation's self-sufficiency rate in agriculture.
Addressing Brunei citizens in a customary titah broadcasted on Radio Television Brunei nationwide, the monarch expressed hope for faster movements in achieving the national objectives, particularly in agriculture.
"We need to raise our self-sufficiency rate to a higher level in line with our growth and needs," said His Majesty, adding that there will be continued efforts to improve standards of living suitable with the goal of achieving zero-poverty.
"Prosperity can be achieved with effort by utilising natural resources the country is endowed with. From these resources, we acquired oil and gas, and from this we gained food.
"Today we talk about Hijrah. If Muslims succeed in breaking out of the poverty cocoon, then this will be the most historic Hijrah for them."
The monarch also expressed hope, in particular for the leaders within all government agencies to be strong and honest in their beliefs, "for they are the captains who will steer the ships to the correct ports."
"Fitting with the spirit of Hijrah, everyone, especially leaders and their assistants, need to be more aware of current affairs, whether related to their daily duties or beyond them.
"If there is something that needs to be dealt with immediately, why not do so? The same goes for opportunities for change. Why not change, if it brings benefits?"
Concluding his titah, His Majesty and his family would like to extend a happy new Hijrah 1430 year and hoped that all Bruneians will gain hidayat and guidance from Allah the Almighty.
A report recently published in The Brunei Times said that Brunei's self-sufficiency rate for rice production currently stands at 3.12 per cent, with the bulk of rice consumed in the Sultanate imported from Thailand. The assistant director at the Agriculture Department spoke earlier in March of plans to raise the self-sufficiency rate to 10 per cent, although no targets were specified.
According to the report, during a working visit by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office to the department earlier this month, plans were unveiled for a 20 per cent increase in rice production by 2010 and a 60 per cent increase by 2015.
The plans include new rice fields for the Brunei-Muara, Belait and Temburong Districts, improvements to rice field infrastructures and the use of a high-yielding variety seeds, which altogether may cost up to $50 million.
A Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports official recently said the government can help overcome poverty by providing subsidies and facilities for the poor to be involved in agriculture to encourage them to be more economically self-reliant.
Hj Mohammad Sofian Hj Amit from the Youth and Sports Department recently said that poverty is under control in Brunei while extreme poverty is non-existent, during a group discussion at the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths programme on "Overcoming Poverty through a Social Inclusion Approach: The Status quo of Asia and Oceania in a Globalised Economy", in Tokyo, Japan.
He said poverty exists mainly among the elderly who live alone and are unable to take care of themselves after being abandoned by their family, adding that there are no homeless people or beggars on Brunei's streets but acknowledged the existence of some poor and destitute people who live in houses in poor conditions.
The Brunei Times
Monday, December 29, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
MIB philosophy a bond that unites Bruneians
MIB philosophy a bond that unites Bruneians
UBAIDILLAH MASLI
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
WITH inhabitants totalling less than 400,000 people, bonded together by the national philosophy of the Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB), Brunei, the "Abode of Peace" is known to travellers and visitors alike as a safe place to be.
Living in such a close-knit society, where everyone practically knows or is related to one another, it seems only natural that one would place an amount of trust onto, in reality what could be, a near-perfect stranger. However, just how far can that trust go?
Speaking to The Brunei Times, 25-year-old Khaliq believes that Bruneians are more likely to trust each other since they live in a country with a relatively low crime rate, adding that Bruneians should consider themselves lucky and to be grateful that they have that privilege.
"If you were to go abroad, sometimes you would not have that luxury (the feeling of being safe)," said Khaliq, who frequently travels overseas for business trips.
"Walking down the street by yourself (at night), you'd have a tendency to stay wary, watching constantly behind your back... but you don't have to worry about that here (in Brunei)."
He explained that Bruneians enjoyed a sense of security and often give each other the benefit of the doubt, thinking that they would not be wronged by a fellow Bruneian.
"Lots of people, when they go to a (convenience) store to buy some groceries, they often leave their (car) engines running because they have fallen into the common perception that it's unlikely that your car will get stolen," he said.
A 57-year-old retiree who used to work in the construction sector said that the trust amongst Bruneians exists because of the culture which shapes each and every Bruneian to grow up abiding by a moral code and to live in unity and harmony.
The man, who wished to remain anonymous said that Bruneians grow up in a society where social gatherings, such as weddings, family dinners and prayers are common and is a major aspect of Bruneian culture.
He said these occasions brought together relatives where everybody gets to really know one another.
"You start talking to each other and next thing you know, you find out you are related. So, it is like you can trust the person next to you because (he or she) is maybe your relative or just a friend," he pointed out.
One 19-year-old student, Farah Mohammad has also grown accustomed to this way of life and usually would place some trust in a person that she just met.
"I think people in Brunei are more willing to trust someone and I think trust plays a big part of why Brunei is so peaceful," she said.
When asked hypothetically whether she would let someone, who said that they ran out of battery or credit on their phone, borrow her phone to make a phone call or text message, Farah replied that she would probably lend it to them, but she would first take a look at the person's body language to ensure that he or she was genuine in their claim.
However, Farah said that there was a limit to how much trust that most people would give others. She said simple things such as lending her phone to a stranger is an acceptable amount of trust.
"I would trust someone, but I wouldn't (fully) let my guard down, no matter how trustworthy they may appear to be," she said.
"Trust for someone you hardly know can only go so far."
The Brunei Times
UBAIDILLAH MASLI
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
WITH inhabitants totalling less than 400,000 people, bonded together by the national philosophy of the Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB), Brunei, the "Abode of Peace" is known to travellers and visitors alike as a safe place to be.
Living in such a close-knit society, where everyone practically knows or is related to one another, it seems only natural that one would place an amount of trust onto, in reality what could be, a near-perfect stranger. However, just how far can that trust go?
Speaking to The Brunei Times, 25-year-old Khaliq believes that Bruneians are more likely to trust each other since they live in a country with a relatively low crime rate, adding that Bruneians should consider themselves lucky and to be grateful that they have that privilege.
"If you were to go abroad, sometimes you would not have that luxury (the feeling of being safe)," said Khaliq, who frequently travels overseas for business trips.
"Walking down the street by yourself (at night), you'd have a tendency to stay wary, watching constantly behind your back... but you don't have to worry about that here (in Brunei)."
He explained that Bruneians enjoyed a sense of security and often give each other the benefit of the doubt, thinking that they would not be wronged by a fellow Bruneian.
"Lots of people, when they go to a (convenience) store to buy some groceries, they often leave their (car) engines running because they have fallen into the common perception that it's unlikely that your car will get stolen," he said.
A 57-year-old retiree who used to work in the construction sector said that the trust amongst Bruneians exists because of the culture which shapes each and every Bruneian to grow up abiding by a moral code and to live in unity and harmony.
The man, who wished to remain anonymous said that Bruneians grow up in a society where social gatherings, such as weddings, family dinners and prayers are common and is a major aspect of Bruneian culture.
He said these occasions brought together relatives where everybody gets to really know one another.
"You start talking to each other and next thing you know, you find out you are related. So, it is like you can trust the person next to you because (he or she) is maybe your relative or just a friend," he pointed out.
One 19-year-old student, Farah Mohammad has also grown accustomed to this way of life and usually would place some trust in a person that she just met.
"I think people in Brunei are more willing to trust someone and I think trust plays a big part of why Brunei is so peaceful," she said.
When asked hypothetically whether she would let someone, who said that they ran out of battery or credit on their phone, borrow her phone to make a phone call or text message, Farah replied that she would probably lend it to them, but she would first take a look at the person's body language to ensure that he or she was genuine in their claim.
However, Farah said that there was a limit to how much trust that most people would give others. She said simple things such as lending her phone to a stranger is an acceptable amount of trust.
"I would trust someone, but I wouldn't (fully) let my guard down, no matter how trustworthy they may appear to be," she said.
"Trust for someone you hardly know can only go so far."
The Brunei Times
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
ITB students to study local consumption patterns
ITB students to study local consumption patterns
BRUNEI-MUARA
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
MORE than 100 first year students of the Business and Management Department of the Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB) are currently conducting research on consumer consumption patterns as part of their coursework in three districts in the country.
The research which began from December 22, 2008 until January 27, 2009 was the second time conducted by the department concerned.
The students are divided into 21 groups covering 15 mukimin the Brunei-Muara District; four in the Belait District and two mukim in the Tutong District.
Speaking to The Brunei Times the Business and Management Department's lecturer, Zawawi, said that by undertaking the research for the students' case study report, would enable them to learn how business economic theories work in the real world such as the theory of demand and supply.
He added that by conducting on the ground case study, the students would also be able to analyse consumers' consumption patterns.
According to him despite a modest total target of 6,000 respondents spread across the three districts, the survey would provide them with a fair reflection of the population's consumption patterns.
The research is also aimed to identify eight main items which dominates consumer expenditure, accumulate information on buying pattern influences, income and saving range of the people in the country.
"Demand base policy will be produced by these students which based on the data they received from the public. Thus, this policy is design to stimulate or restrict the demand which depends on what the relevant authorities want for the country's economic growth," he added.
According to the lecturer, the significance of the case study report is that the information obtained on consumer consumption patterns could be used as reference for other established researchers in the country to be used in their reports.
Zawawi expressed hope that members of the public would give their full cooperation to these ITB students in their enquiries about consumer consumption patterns because the outcome of the research would have an impact on their grades for their course work.
He added that the public would be able to recognise the students who are doing the research from their ITB identification cards. (NLR1)
The Brunei Times
BRUNEI-MUARA
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
MORE than 100 first year students of the Business and Management Department of the Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB) are currently conducting research on consumer consumption patterns as part of their coursework in three districts in the country.
The research which began from December 22, 2008 until January 27, 2009 was the second time conducted by the department concerned.
The students are divided into 21 groups covering 15 mukimin the Brunei-Muara District; four in the Belait District and two mukim in the Tutong District.
Speaking to The Brunei Times the Business and Management Department's lecturer, Zawawi, said that by undertaking the research for the students' case study report, would enable them to learn how business economic theories work in the real world such as the theory of demand and supply.
He added that by conducting on the ground case study, the students would also be able to analyse consumers' consumption patterns.
According to him despite a modest total target of 6,000 respondents spread across the three districts, the survey would provide them with a fair reflection of the population's consumption patterns.
The research is also aimed to identify eight main items which dominates consumer expenditure, accumulate information on buying pattern influences, income and saving range of the people in the country.
"Demand base policy will be produced by these students which based on the data they received from the public. Thus, this policy is design to stimulate or restrict the demand which depends on what the relevant authorities want for the country's economic growth," he added.
According to the lecturer, the significance of the case study report is that the information obtained on consumer consumption patterns could be used as reference for other established researchers in the country to be used in their reports.
Zawawi expressed hope that members of the public would give their full cooperation to these ITB students in their enquiries about consumer consumption patterns because the outcome of the research would have an impact on their grades for their course work.
He added that the public would be able to recognise the students who are doing the research from their ITB identification cards. (NLR1)
The Brunei Times
Land allocated to locals for commercial farming
Land allocated to locals for commercial farming
Commercial agriculture: A file photo of a farmer tending to his crops. The Agriculture Department in its efforts to increase agricultural products which can be commercialised, has implemented a programme known as Agricultural Development Area where farmers can utilise the land provided for commercial farming. Picture: BT file
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
THE Agriculture Department have introduced another initiative to develop the Agriculture Industry by providing farming sites to local farmers known as the Agricultural Development Area (KKP) specifically used for commercial agriculture activities.
The initiative was aimed to encourage farmers to work on the land and then market their products and to ensure consistent yield of good quality and safe.
The aim of the KKP was to develop the site in line with the concept of Integrated Post Management for farming entrepreneurs to lessen from over-using poison, while bringing the concept of Good Agriculture Practice to enhance the quality yield and Good Farming Management with the use of hi-tech system.
Local entrepreneurs as a whole will have the opportunity to improve themselves and make plans for value-added activities. Furthermore the KKP was also aimed to encourage participation from farming cooperatives as a marketing agents and enhance the knowledge of entrepreneurs regarding the strategies of output and marketing via Human Resource Development programme.
The type of productions which has been approved for the allocated land includes vegetables, decorative, chicken, sheep, duck, hydrophonics and pineapples were among the lots which has been offered.
Each companies allowed to occupy the site will need to pay depending on the type of businesses which is being carried out during the period of one year these includes; vegetables production at $25 per year for one hectare; while decorative plants production; combined production, breeding production will cost $100 per year for one hectare.
Batumpu is one of the area which is one of the activities which is being worked on by locals in a diverse type of business to develop the country's economy, and has an area of 438 hectares and divided into two hectare for each lot which comes to 219 hectare. The area was opened in 1994 and has become a KKP by putting it under the Early Entry status which should be developed by the locals without the approvals or official agreement from the Agriculture Department. (SHS1)
The Brunei Times
Commercial agriculture: A file photo of a farmer tending to his crops. The Agriculture Department in its efforts to increase agricultural products which can be commercialised, has implemented a programme known as Agricultural Development Area where farmers can utilise the land provided for commercial farming. Picture: BT file
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
THE Agriculture Department have introduced another initiative to develop the Agriculture Industry by providing farming sites to local farmers known as the Agricultural Development Area (KKP) specifically used for commercial agriculture activities.
The initiative was aimed to encourage farmers to work on the land and then market their products and to ensure consistent yield of good quality and safe.
The aim of the KKP was to develop the site in line with the concept of Integrated Post Management for farming entrepreneurs to lessen from over-using poison, while bringing the concept of Good Agriculture Practice to enhance the quality yield and Good Farming Management with the use of hi-tech system.
Local entrepreneurs as a whole will have the opportunity to improve themselves and make plans for value-added activities. Furthermore the KKP was also aimed to encourage participation from farming cooperatives as a marketing agents and enhance the knowledge of entrepreneurs regarding the strategies of output and marketing via Human Resource Development programme.
The type of productions which has been approved for the allocated land includes vegetables, decorative, chicken, sheep, duck, hydrophonics and pineapples were among the lots which has been offered.
Each companies allowed to occupy the site will need to pay depending on the type of businesses which is being carried out during the period of one year these includes; vegetables production at $25 per year for one hectare; while decorative plants production; combined production, breeding production will cost $100 per year for one hectare.
Batumpu is one of the area which is one of the activities which is being worked on by locals in a diverse type of business to develop the country's economy, and has an area of 438 hectares and divided into two hectare for each lot which comes to 219 hectare. The area was opened in 1994 and has become a KKP by putting it under the Early Entry status which should be developed by the locals without the approvals or official agreement from the Agriculture Department. (SHS1)
The Brunei Times
Resolving world food crisis
Resolving world food crisis
Help is around the corner: A file picture showing Egyptian farmers planting rice seedlings in Egypt's fertile Delta in Abu Rayea, north of Kafr Al-Sheikh, 140 km from Cairo. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said that world food production would have to rise 50 per cent by 2030 in order to meet the earth's increasing food needs.Picture: EPA
NINA V FEDOROFF
WASHINGTON
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
SCIENCE and technology changed agriculture profoundly in the twentieth century. Today, much of the developed world's agriculture is a large-scale enterprise: mechanised, computer-controlled, and based on sophisticated use of chemistry and knowledge of plant and soil physiology.
The invention of chemical fertilisers early in the century and their increasing use, together with mechanisation and the development of high-yielding grain varieties, propelled the growth of agricultural productivity in the developed world. The Green Revolution brought these benefits to less developed nations.
As a result, despite a tripling of the global population, we have so far evaded Malthus' 1798 prediction that human population growth would inevitably outstrip our ability to produce food. Over the second half of the twentieth century, the hungry of the Earth shrank from half of its three billion human inhabitants to less than a billion of the current 6.5 billion.
Twentieth-century plant breeders learned to accelerate genetic changes in plants with chemicals and radiation — a rather shotgun approach to the genetic improvement of plants. The introduction of molecular methods began the current agricultural revolution. The use of such techniques is referred to as genetic modification (GM), genetic engineering, or biotechnology. GM crops that resist certain pests and tolerate herbicides have gained rapid acceptance in many countries.
According to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), GM crop adoption is growing at double-digit rates, reaching 114.3 million hectares in 23 countries in 2007. Perhaps most importantly, 11 of the 12 million GM farmers are resource-poor smallholders.
In the 12 years since their commercial introduction, insect-resistant GM crops have increased yields while significantly decreasing the use of toxic pesticides. Herbicide-tolerant plants have decreased herbicide use and encouraged the widespread adoption of no-till farming, markedly reducing topsoil loss and promoting soil fertility.
Despite dire predictions, no adverse effects of GM crops on health, biodiversity, and the environment have been documented to date. The only unanticipated effects so far have been beneficial. Insect-resistant GM corn, for example, shows much lower levels of mycotoxin contamination than conventionally or organically grown corn because the plants are resistant to the insect larvae that bore holes through which fungi enter plants. No holes, no fungi, no mycotoxins. GM techniques are widely accepted in medicine and food technology. What would we do today in the face of the growing world-wide diabetes epidemic without human insulin, now produced on a very large scale from human insulin genes expressed in microorganisms?
But the use of molecular techniques to improve crop plants continues to be rejected emphatically by many countries in Europe, by Japan, and — most tragically — by many African countries.
Recent food and energy price shocks have pulled the world up short. The so-called "food crisis" of 2008 was not really a crisis in the sense of a condition that can be resolved by the quick application of emergency measures. It has been developing for decades. And it is not likely to disappear soon, though food prices are moderating for the moment.
A human population approaching seven billion is straining the limits of the planet's ecological support systems. Water and arable land are in short supply. The climate is changing. Fossil fuel energy is expensive and contributes to climate change. Unexpectedly, we find ourselves once again staring down the barrel of Malthus' gun.
Most of the world's poorest people are rural, small-holding farmers, virtually untouched by modern agriculture. There is much room for increasing productivity. And yet, while we hear talk of a second Green Revolution, expanding the food supply today in the poorest, most crowded, and insecure nations is a formidable task.
It seems that somewhere between the Green Revolution and the biotechnology revolution, the developed world declared the battle for food security won and moved on. Citizens of many urbanised, developed countries have grown nostalgic, increasingly convinced that organic farming, a throwback to nineteenth-century agriculture, produces nutritionally superior food (it doesn't) and can solve the world's food problems (it can't). Where land is not yet limited, small-scale organic farming is an affordable luxury. The amount of arable land on the planet has not changed substantially in more than half a century. Land is lost to urbanisation, desertification, and salinisation as fast as it is added by clearing forests and plowing grasslands.
Yet the human population's growth and increasing affluence continue to push up demand for food, feed, and fiber. Now, as we begin to confront the inevitable exhaustion of fossil fuel supplies, we are asking agriculture to satisfy some of our energy appetite, as well. This is like expecting your modest annual salary to satisfy all the appetites you developed while burning through a large inheritance.
Adapting to climate change and decreasing agriculture's environmental impact, while substantially increasing its productivity, are among the key challenges confronting us in the twenty-first century. Despite the bad rap they've gotten, the GM crops in use today have already contributed to meeting both challenges. Developing an environmentally friendly agriculture for a hot and crowded planet will require the most advanced agricultural methods available, including GM techniques. Indeed, there are projects underway to develop crop varieties that use less water and maintain their yield potential under harsher drought conditions than today's crops. Will we have the wisdom to accept the growing evidence of safety and welcome these necessary survival tools?
Nina V Fedoroff is Science and Technology Adviser to the United States Secretary of State and to the Administrator of US Agency for International Development (USAid).
Project Syndicate
Help is around the corner: A file picture showing Egyptian farmers planting rice seedlings in Egypt's fertile Delta in Abu Rayea, north of Kafr Al-Sheikh, 140 km from Cairo. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said that world food production would have to rise 50 per cent by 2030 in order to meet the earth's increasing food needs.Picture: EPA
NINA V FEDOROFF
WASHINGTON
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
SCIENCE and technology changed agriculture profoundly in the twentieth century. Today, much of the developed world's agriculture is a large-scale enterprise: mechanised, computer-controlled, and based on sophisticated use of chemistry and knowledge of plant and soil physiology.
The invention of chemical fertilisers early in the century and their increasing use, together with mechanisation and the development of high-yielding grain varieties, propelled the growth of agricultural productivity in the developed world. The Green Revolution brought these benefits to less developed nations.
As a result, despite a tripling of the global population, we have so far evaded Malthus' 1798 prediction that human population growth would inevitably outstrip our ability to produce food. Over the second half of the twentieth century, the hungry of the Earth shrank from half of its three billion human inhabitants to less than a billion of the current 6.5 billion.
Twentieth-century plant breeders learned to accelerate genetic changes in plants with chemicals and radiation — a rather shotgun approach to the genetic improvement of plants. The introduction of molecular methods began the current agricultural revolution. The use of such techniques is referred to as genetic modification (GM), genetic engineering, or biotechnology. GM crops that resist certain pests and tolerate herbicides have gained rapid acceptance in many countries.
According to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), GM crop adoption is growing at double-digit rates, reaching 114.3 million hectares in 23 countries in 2007. Perhaps most importantly, 11 of the 12 million GM farmers are resource-poor smallholders.
In the 12 years since their commercial introduction, insect-resistant GM crops have increased yields while significantly decreasing the use of toxic pesticides. Herbicide-tolerant plants have decreased herbicide use and encouraged the widespread adoption of no-till farming, markedly reducing topsoil loss and promoting soil fertility.
Despite dire predictions, no adverse effects of GM crops on health, biodiversity, and the environment have been documented to date. The only unanticipated effects so far have been beneficial. Insect-resistant GM corn, for example, shows much lower levels of mycotoxin contamination than conventionally or organically grown corn because the plants are resistant to the insect larvae that bore holes through which fungi enter plants. No holes, no fungi, no mycotoxins. GM techniques are widely accepted in medicine and food technology. What would we do today in the face of the growing world-wide diabetes epidemic without human insulin, now produced on a very large scale from human insulin genes expressed in microorganisms?
But the use of molecular techniques to improve crop plants continues to be rejected emphatically by many countries in Europe, by Japan, and — most tragically — by many African countries.
Recent food and energy price shocks have pulled the world up short. The so-called "food crisis" of 2008 was not really a crisis in the sense of a condition that can be resolved by the quick application of emergency measures. It has been developing for decades. And it is not likely to disappear soon, though food prices are moderating for the moment.
A human population approaching seven billion is straining the limits of the planet's ecological support systems. Water and arable land are in short supply. The climate is changing. Fossil fuel energy is expensive and contributes to climate change. Unexpectedly, we find ourselves once again staring down the barrel of Malthus' gun.
Most of the world's poorest people are rural, small-holding farmers, virtually untouched by modern agriculture. There is much room for increasing productivity. And yet, while we hear talk of a second Green Revolution, expanding the food supply today in the poorest, most crowded, and insecure nations is a formidable task.
It seems that somewhere between the Green Revolution and the biotechnology revolution, the developed world declared the battle for food security won and moved on. Citizens of many urbanised, developed countries have grown nostalgic, increasingly convinced that organic farming, a throwback to nineteenth-century agriculture, produces nutritionally superior food (it doesn't) and can solve the world's food problems (it can't). Where land is not yet limited, small-scale organic farming is an affordable luxury. The amount of arable land on the planet has not changed substantially in more than half a century. Land is lost to urbanisation, desertification, and salinisation as fast as it is added by clearing forests and plowing grasslands.
Yet the human population's growth and increasing affluence continue to push up demand for food, feed, and fiber. Now, as we begin to confront the inevitable exhaustion of fossil fuel supplies, we are asking agriculture to satisfy some of our energy appetite, as well. This is like expecting your modest annual salary to satisfy all the appetites you developed while burning through a large inheritance.
Adapting to climate change and decreasing agriculture's environmental impact, while substantially increasing its productivity, are among the key challenges confronting us in the twenty-first century. Despite the bad rap they've gotten, the GM crops in use today have already contributed to meeting both challenges. Developing an environmentally friendly agriculture for a hot and crowded planet will require the most advanced agricultural methods available, including GM techniques. Indeed, there are projects underway to develop crop varieties that use less water and maintain their yield potential under harsher drought conditions than today's crops. Will we have the wisdom to accept the growing evidence of safety and welcome these necessary survival tools?
Nina V Fedoroff is Science and Technology Adviser to the United States Secretary of State and to the Administrator of US Agency for International Development (USAid).
Project Syndicate
Indonesia seen losing 40,000 jobs by year-end
Indonesia seen losing 40,000 jobs by year-end
JAKARTA
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
COMPANIES in Indonesia will have shed 40,000 jobs by the end of 2008 as a result of the global financial crisis, a government minister said yesterday.
Employment Minister Erman Suparno projected that 23,000 workers will be let go in December, while 17,000 jobs were cut in previous months.
The jobs are in the electronics and manufacturing sectors, but he did not specify at which companies.
The worsening economic climate will result in more losses in 2009, he said without providing details. Hundreds of thousands of Indonesian workers abroad also face possible redundancy, he said.
As many as 150,000 people could lose their jobs in the first half of 2009, the head of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mohamad Suleman Hidayat, warned yesterday, calling for the swift implementation of an economic stimulus package. The official unemployment rate is around 10 per cent.
The Indonesian government lowered economic growth forecasts to between five per cent and 5.5 per cent in 2009, down from an earlier projection of 6.5 per cent. The World Bank expects a sharper contraction.
Meanwhile, Indonesia's finance minister yesterday announced measures to speed up and reduce costs for imports at two of the country's key ports, using a centralised electronic system to obtain government approvals.
The measures, which apply to licenced importers, come into effect immediately at Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port and the Central Java port of Tanjung Emas. They are intended to improve the process of importing goods into the country.
Agencies
JAKARTA
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
COMPANIES in Indonesia will have shed 40,000 jobs by the end of 2008 as a result of the global financial crisis, a government minister said yesterday.
Employment Minister Erman Suparno projected that 23,000 workers will be let go in December, while 17,000 jobs were cut in previous months.
The jobs are in the electronics and manufacturing sectors, but he did not specify at which companies.
The worsening economic climate will result in more losses in 2009, he said without providing details. Hundreds of thousands of Indonesian workers abroad also face possible redundancy, he said.
As many as 150,000 people could lose their jobs in the first half of 2009, the head of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mohamad Suleman Hidayat, warned yesterday, calling for the swift implementation of an economic stimulus package. The official unemployment rate is around 10 per cent.
The Indonesian government lowered economic growth forecasts to between five per cent and 5.5 per cent in 2009, down from an earlier projection of 6.5 per cent. The World Bank expects a sharper contraction.
Meanwhile, Indonesia's finance minister yesterday announced measures to speed up and reduce costs for imports at two of the country's key ports, using a centralised electronic system to obtain government approvals.
The measures, which apply to licenced importers, come into effect immediately at Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port and the Central Java port of Tanjung Emas. They are intended to improve the process of importing goods into the country.
Agencies
People still in dark about new taxes
People still in dark about new taxes
IZAM SAID YA'AKUB
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
RESIDENTS in Bandar Seri Begawan's newly-zoned municipality have been left perturbed by lack of information regarding the taxes to be levied.
After waiting for more than a year, residents are concerned about the lack of transparency and representation when it comes to paying taxes for their homes and property. "We are trying to find out how will we be taxed, so we can make the necessary arrangements," said a resident of Anggrek Desa. "So far the Municipal Department has not said anything, except that it will be announced accordingly," said the resident who is employed in the private sector.
There are others who feel that more needs to be done when it comes to the services that come hand-in-hand with the taxes which are expected to come in force the new year. "Like it or not, I have to oblige with the rates (of taxes)," said a Gadong land owner who wants to remain anonymous. "Some services, such as the collection of waste may not be up to our standards, but if I was to outsource them, I'd be out of my pocket." Many would like the services to be outlined in detail so they know what is being done with the taxpayer's money. "So far it has been a one-way street, and it would be good if the municipal department took a greater look into the details as to what is needed in terms of services."
The Brunei Times contacted the Municipal Department which declined to comment on the matter. Meanwhile, members of the public are becoming frustrated with the authority which is handling the issue as they have been told that the matter is still confidential. "I had called the (Municipal) Department, to ask about when the taxes are due and to find out more about the levies, but the person answering my call said the matter was still confidential," said a member of the Civil Service, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "I called not as a member of the civil service, but as a resident of the municipal area."
"First of all what comes with the taxes? New services and better infrastructure? Since the rezoning, I do not see any improvement taking place," says a resident in Bunut.
"This side of Jalan Tutong, after the traffic lights at Telanai has never been smooth. I would be hard done by to suddenly pay an entire year's worth of taxes despite not seeing anything changing over the last 12 months," he added.
The sentiment was further echoed by residents living in Kg Mabohai and Kg Kiarong, who have spoken on condition of anonymity. The residents in question have been paying the land taxes for years on end, and while they do not complain of having to do so, their grievances lie in the services lacking.
"We pay every year the taxes to the municipal department, but the access road to our house is not maintained. Previously if there were any potholes, the cost of repairs would have to be borne by us," said a member of a family in Kg Mabohai.
On the other side of town, a resident of Kg Kiarong has spoken out about how patches of road along Jln Kiarong become flooded during heavy rainfall.
"The roads will be covered in water, and in some areas it will be deep enough to stop some cars," said the 27-year-old, Kartika Rahman.
"The water subsides shortly after, but it means that the drainage system cannot cope with the weather as it is today."
A flyer from the Municipal department outlining some of the services which come hand in hand with the taxes include access roads, street lighting, and water utilities. Alongside these there are also additional services from the Fire and Rescue Department and the Royal Brunei Police Force.
Before property owners who resided outside of the Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal area were not taxed earlier. However, after it was rezoned in August 2007, 12 additional mukims will be taxable by the Municipal Department.
The increased land boundary is aimed at improving the aesthetics of the capital and to regulate the growth and management of the outlying suburbs covers which include Kianggeh, Gadong, Kilanas and Kota Batu.
The area under the Bandar Seri Begawan municipal had been drastically increased to 100.36 square kilometres (10,036.24 hectares) from a relatively small 12.87 square kilometres (1,287 hectares) in August 2007.The Brunei Times
IZAM SAID YA'AKUB
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
RESIDENTS in Bandar Seri Begawan's newly-zoned municipality have been left perturbed by lack of information regarding the taxes to be levied.
After waiting for more than a year, residents are concerned about the lack of transparency and representation when it comes to paying taxes for their homes and property. "We are trying to find out how will we be taxed, so we can make the necessary arrangements," said a resident of Anggrek Desa. "So far the Municipal Department has not said anything, except that it will be announced accordingly," said the resident who is employed in the private sector.
There are others who feel that more needs to be done when it comes to the services that come hand-in-hand with the taxes which are expected to come in force the new year. "Like it or not, I have to oblige with the rates (of taxes)," said a Gadong land owner who wants to remain anonymous. "Some services, such as the collection of waste may not be up to our standards, but if I was to outsource them, I'd be out of my pocket." Many would like the services to be outlined in detail so they know what is being done with the taxpayer's money. "So far it has been a one-way street, and it would be good if the municipal department took a greater look into the details as to what is needed in terms of services."
The Brunei Times contacted the Municipal Department which declined to comment on the matter. Meanwhile, members of the public are becoming frustrated with the authority which is handling the issue as they have been told that the matter is still confidential. "I had called the (Municipal) Department, to ask about when the taxes are due and to find out more about the levies, but the person answering my call said the matter was still confidential," said a member of the Civil Service, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "I called not as a member of the civil service, but as a resident of the municipal area."
"First of all what comes with the taxes? New services and better infrastructure? Since the rezoning, I do not see any improvement taking place," says a resident in Bunut.
"This side of Jalan Tutong, after the traffic lights at Telanai has never been smooth. I would be hard done by to suddenly pay an entire year's worth of taxes despite not seeing anything changing over the last 12 months," he added.
The sentiment was further echoed by residents living in Kg Mabohai and Kg Kiarong, who have spoken on condition of anonymity. The residents in question have been paying the land taxes for years on end, and while they do not complain of having to do so, their grievances lie in the services lacking.
"We pay every year the taxes to the municipal department, but the access road to our house is not maintained. Previously if there were any potholes, the cost of repairs would have to be borne by us," said a member of a family in Kg Mabohai.
On the other side of town, a resident of Kg Kiarong has spoken out about how patches of road along Jln Kiarong become flooded during heavy rainfall.
"The roads will be covered in water, and in some areas it will be deep enough to stop some cars," said the 27-year-old, Kartika Rahman.
"The water subsides shortly after, but it means that the drainage system cannot cope with the weather as it is today."
A flyer from the Municipal department outlining some of the services which come hand in hand with the taxes include access roads, street lighting, and water utilities. Alongside these there are also additional services from the Fire and Rescue Department and the Royal Brunei Police Force.
Before property owners who resided outside of the Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal area were not taxed earlier. However, after it was rezoned in August 2007, 12 additional mukims will be taxable by the Municipal Department.
The increased land boundary is aimed at improving the aesthetics of the capital and to regulate the growth and management of the outlying suburbs covers which include Kianggeh, Gadong, Kilanas and Kota Batu.
The area under the Bandar Seri Begawan municipal had been drastically increased to 100.36 square kilometres (10,036.24 hectares) from a relatively small 12.87 square kilometres (1,287 hectares) in August 2007.The Brunei Times
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)