As we witness the devastating effects of storms raging through our ASEAN neighbours, I wish to express my heartfelt sympathy for those who have lost homes, livelihoods and loved ones to the weather disasters that our world is increasingly facing.
Amid the regional struggles with its effects, I can’t help but wonder how it will impact our nation’s food security.
It is no secret that we are heavily reliant on rice imports from our neighbours, which include rice exporting nations such as Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam.
These three nations have been hit fairly hard by the recent storms, and so one cannot help but be concerned that there may be potential shortage in the near future.
Our own self-sufficiency of rice production is far from meeting the needs of national consumption, but even if we were at 100 per cent, Brunei is also just as susceptible to floods, heavy rains and other climate challenges. So ‘making our own’ to address concerns and issues clearly isn’t the path forward.
My question is: what are the authorities’ near- and long-term plans in addressing food security in our country?
Lost Grains
