"Small farmers in Pakistan need increased access to extension services and agricultural infrastructure if they are expected to become productive. Unfortunately, the ability of the state to provide these services remains limited. In order to address their liquidity constraints, and secure some form of insurance, poor farmers have conventionally turned toward either landlords or moneylenders in the informal market.

The landless poor have few other options but to rely on the same informal moneylenders, who in turn charge exorbitantly high interest rates that cause serious debt problems. NGOs or farmer groups can sublet land to landless individuals or families, and also offer credit for the crop cycle. Microfinance institutions can also facilitate this process by creating special packages for group-based borrowing for lease farming."

"The latest in mobile technology will soon help teachers in India enhance their teaching skills by providing them access to a host of information on their respective subjects through their cell phones. The system involves developing a database with course details in various formats, including presentation and animation.

The technology would also be gradually introduced to students, the objective being to make them well conversant with the new technology, thereby creating their own innovative learning resources. Such a facility for students will provide information on subjects, career guidance and much more."

"Water has emerged as a key issue that could determine whether Asia is headed toward mutually beneficial cooperation or interstate competition. Climate change and environmental degradation in the form of shrinking forests and swamps, which foster a cycle of chronic flooding and droughts, have made the threat of water disputes in Asia more haunting.

There are many examples of successful trans-boundary water managements to show that such schemes can be valuable to all the participants. If China plays a leadership role in water resource management it would not only contribute seriously to the security of its own long-term water supply, but also enhance its brand as a source of desirable and eco-friendly products."

"The Industry Ministry has agreed to inject Rp 50 billion ($5 million) to state owned sugar makers in a bid to revitalize the sugar industry and to attain self-sufficiency by 2014. The fund will be distributed in the form of a 10 percent subsidy for every purchase of new machinery by nine state sugar companies.

The government subsidy does come with a condition. Machines purchased by the companies must be entirely assembled in Indonesia and with a minimum 40 percent local content. Currently Indonesia has at least 58 sugar refineries relying on machines generally older than 20 years and with each refinery able to produce 3,000 tons per day."

"Small business owners and consumers in Tajikistan are being hit hard by the rapid and seemingly uncontrollable fall of the Tajik currency against the U.S. dollar. While some experts say the central bank appears to have no control over the plunge of the Tajik somoni, others suggest that some large businesses are taking advantage of bank moves to turn a quick profit.

In May alone, the somoni fell by 12 percent against the dollar. Since the beginning of the year, the somoni has lost almost 27 percent of its value against the U.S. currency. While Tajik exporters still exchange their goods for hard currencies, they disburse payroll and other taxes in revalued somoni, thereby undercutting employee salaries and tax obligations, while increasing profits by almost 30 percent, local economists assert."

"A recent report says groundwater levels are 10 meters lower in Ho Chi Minh City, and six meters lower in Hanoi than they were 10 years ago. An expert has warned that groundwater levels in the Central Highlands were sinking due to the over-irrigation of crops, mainly coffee.

A study done at the university also found that groundwater levels in the Mekong Delta had fallen to 10 meters over the last decade and could run completely dry over the next five years. An estimated 2,000 wells are being used by residents living on Nam Song Hau Road in Vinh Chau District alone."

"Infrastructure in Indonesia remains a crucial problem hampering growth, the government admitted recently in response to an assessment conducted by the International Institute for Management Development. Responding to the criticism, a government official said infrastructure development was on the government's medium and long-term agendas and significant improvements in this sector would materialize next year with the completion of new transportation systems, roads and electricity services.

Indonesia stands out because the economy still has positive growth, which is attractive from an economic perspective because of its strong base. Indonesia's economy had grown 4.4 percent in the first quarter of 2009 from a year earlier. Its Q1 growth was just below that of China and India, while other economies suffered serious downturns because of the global financial crisis."

"E-commerce in Cambodia remains a marginal tool for domestic retail and trade, say government and private-sector sources as online payment facilities and Internet usage remaining the biggest challenges to further development. The director general of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce said that significant progress in e-commerce remains unrealistic even though there has been development of key resources to boost online buying and selling.

According to the latest figures, Cambodia still has only 17,000 Internet subscribers, the second-lowest density in ASEAN, meaning the potential number of online consumers remains limited. Very few companies have their own Web sites, with a lack of suitable online payment facilities hampering e-commerce development."

"Rice farmers in Thailand are calling on the government to scrap the existing rice quota system for each province under its off-season rice pledging program. The quota system is unfair and impractical, as certain areas still have outstanding output, making farmers with productive late harvests unable to participate in the pledging program, said the chairman of the Thai Rice Farmers Association.

The scheme restricts each farmer to sell no more than 350,000 baht worth of rice to curb profiteering by large-scale farmers. In addition, the association has called on the government to allow farmers who have yet to fulfill their 350,000-baht limit to participate in the scheme."

"The Philippines expects to draw in as much as $27 billion in new investments in the renewable energy sector over the next 20 years. Estimates say the country may be able to produce 24,000 megawatts (MW) from various renewable energy sources like geothermal, hydro, wind, solar, ocean and biomass energy. Of the $27 billion, Luzon is expected to attract $16.14 billion, which may be used to produce 8,072.3 MW of electricity from renewable sources.

Government documents showed that the Philippines has sufficient geothermal reserves to produce over a thousand megawatts of energy, a high solar power penetration and abundant biomass resources that can produce 235.7 MW."

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