Southeast Asian Nations Endorse Rice Action Plan

…The endorsement came at the 30th annual meeting of the ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF). It was presented as part of a comprehensive food security strategy being developed for the region, home to more than 500 million rice consumers, including some of Asia’s poorest.

“The message is very clear,” IRRI’s director general, Robert S. Zeigler, said. “We have the scientific expertise, knowledge, and partnerships to grow the rice Asia needs and now-with this endorsement by these nations-we have strong political support. The only thing missing are the financial resources needed to implement this.”


Dr. Zeigler told the ministers that IRRI needs an additional US$15 million a year for the next ten years to adequately support the ASEAN Rice Action Plan. “At a time of trillion-dollar bailouts for the global financial sector, $15 million a year is barely the annual bonus of a former Wall Street executive,” Dr. Zeigler said.

IRRI