The state of food and agriculture in Asia and the Pacific region 2008

 

RAP publication 2008/03

The state of
food and agriculture in Asia
and the Pacific region 2008

 

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS REGIONAL OFFICE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
Bangkok, 2008

The designation and presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers and boundaries.

All rights reserved. Reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product for educational or other non-commercial purposes are authorized without any prior written permission from the copyright holders provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of material in this information product for sale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the copyright holders. Applications for such permission should be addressed to Mr. Kinlay Dorjee, Economist, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Maliwan Mansion, 39 Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand or by e-mail to [email protected].

© FAO 2010

Photo credits:

Cover photos from top left to bottom right are courtesy of:
FAO/13504/I. De Borhegyi
FAO/17322/N. Rubery
FAO/17013/G. Bizzarri
FAO/17955/J. Y. Piel

All inside photos not on the cover are courtesy of FAO/P. Johnson.

For copies write to: Mr. Kinlay Dorjee
Economist
FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Maliwan Mansion, 39 Phra Atit Road
Bangkok 10200
THAILAND
Tel: (+66) 2 697 4000
Fax: (+66) 2 697 4445
E-mail: [email protected]

Contents

Preface

The state of food and agriculture in Asia and the Pacific region

Developments and trends in food and agriculture

Food and agriculture outlook

Outlook for the future

I. The new �gold rush�: biofuels developments in Asia and the Pacific region

Trends and stability of international commodity prices

Status of biofuels development in the region

Effects of biofuels

Should production of biofuels be subsidized or protected?

II. Biofuels and household food security

The green revolution, biofuels demand, and poverty reduction

Effects of biofuels on costs of production for food

Biofuels and international food prices

Biofuels, employment generation and access to land

Summary and conclusions

References