"Amid the buoyancy of renewed growth in Asia are some underlying concerns, especially over food security and rice prices. The combination of low interest rates, volatile commodity markets and poor harvests in some parts of Asia could make next year another dangerous year for food prices in poor countries.

On the surface, the outlook for production of rice seems solid enough. Just last month, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation forecast world output of milled rice this year would be 453 million tons, the second biggest since 2000. However, on Nov 10, the United States Department of Agriculture issued a lower forecast, saying that global output was expected to fall by 3 percent from a year earlier to 438 million tons, about five million tons less than the minimum needed to meet demand."

"Laos, a landlocked country of seven million people and more than 130 ethnic groups, is now one of the hottest travel destinations in southeast Asia. Tourists number 1.6-million annually, bringing in about half the country's revenue. The economy has grown at about 8% a year during the 2000s, necessary for the country to realize its goal of escaping its status as one of the poorest 20 nations worldwide by 2020.

This has also partly been on the back of increases in labor productivity, up by nearly 20% in the past decade, resulting in an annual growth in agriculture output touching 5% over this period. As a result, rural poverty has fallen from more than 50% to less than 40%, admittedly still a very high figure, and national poverty has been halved to less than 25%. However, Laos faces a difficult challenge in dealing with rising inequality, especially between the capital of Vientiane and a handful of other towns and the poverty of the countryside."

"Irrespective of the outcome of the Copenhagen climate conference, it is clear that India will come under growing pressure to take initiatives on climate change mitigation, including voluntary cuts in greenhouse emissions and other measures -- preferably even before the summit. That is largely because China has just announced a 40-45 percent target for reducing the carbon intensity of its GDP by 2020 (over 2005), and Brazil to cut its emissions from deforestation by 33-39 per cent by 2020. The other 'Plus Five' fast-growing developing economies have made similar offers.

India, the world's fourth largest emitter, cannot afford to be seen as a laggard in relation to them. It is not good enough for India to have announced the National Solar Mission, an undoubtedly ambitious plan to install 20,000 MW of photovoltaic generation capacity by 2022; India is expected to do more."

"The Philippines is considering an institutionalized school nutrition program, according to the House committees on basic education, and health and millennium development goals. They are seeking the approval of a bill to institutionalize a school feeding program where elementary students would be provided meals three times a week for the school year. The beneficiaries would come from the poorest provinces as determined through the family income and expenditure survey.

Meanwhile, the National Nutrition Council will launch in Eastern Visayas this month the 'One Nutrition, One Nation' Movement, which encourages people to join the fight against hunger and malnutrition. A survey last year showed that Eastern Visayas ranked fourth among the 17 regions in the country in terms of malnutrition incidence, with 32.1% of children aged 0-5 malnourished."

"Sri Lanka is credited with a high literacy rate reckoned as the highest in South Asia, and one of the highest in Asia. Sri Lanka is deemed a Third World country, yet its literacy rate at 92 percent is higher than what is commensurate with a country of that designation. But these indices merely indicate that our population numerically as a whole is educated at the rudimentary level. In terms of quality, skills and competence level required to confront the tasks before us, the composition of literacy rate may leave much to be desired.

We need to reinforce the system to be strong in areas of lifelong learning as distinct from schooling. It is well-recognized that there is a logical link between growth and development on the one hand and science and technology, research and innovation, ICT and software development and education on the other. Our learning processes have to be mandated by the need to create and enhance knowledge in these areas, which at the moment seems to be in short supply."

"Singapore's prowess in math and science may not turn its students into the innovators and entrepreneurs needed to drive the economy in the long-run, says the Singapore Competitiveness Report 2009. While Singapore has established its tertiary and research institutions, and patenting and publication intensity has grown, entrepreneurship remains low and local rather than export-focused.

The good news is that the infrastructure for innovation is in place. Singapore still tops most math and science attainment indicators, despite lower spending on education. Singapore can position itself as a 'global connector of knowledge', refining its 'innovation-driven economy ambition'. If innovation is broadened to include developing new concepts, management strategies, processes and business models, better economic outcomes may be attained."

"Indonesia began Monday the construction of a 1,041 kilometer fiber optic cable connecting Mataram and Kupang. The commencement of the project is a milestone in the development of information and communications technology infrastructure for the country's eastern regions.

The cable system would be part of 10,812 kilometer fiber optic cable that would connect Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku and Papua -- major islands in eastern Indonesia. It is also part of the larger Palapa Ring fiber optic project, aimed at connecting all the country's 33 provinces and over 450 regencies and municipalities. President Yudhoyono, who officiated at the inauguration, said connecting the entire country was an important step to boost domestic economic growth."

"While there has been a very sharp fall-off in foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam this year, levels are again rising. The long-term fundamentals of investment in Vietnam are compelling. The country has one of the highest literacy rates in Asia, at 90 percent, and the workforce is young. Almost two thirds of Vietnam's 85m people are under the age of 35 -- and this should support economic growth over the medium term.

A young population implies significant population growth and growing demand for goods and services over the medium term. Significantly, labor in the country is even cheaper than in China. Although pressures on the dong remain, the long-term Vietnam story is intact. The currency valuation means that the country's exports are cheaper and this should help with the balance of trade."

"Indonesia's unemployment rate fell to a nine-year low of 7.87 percent in August, government data showed on Tuesday, after steady economic growth in Southeast Asia's biggest economy. The number of unemployed in August was 8.96 million, down from 9.26 million in February. Indonesia's economy grew 4.21 percent in the third quarter from a year ago.

Agriculture absorbed most new workers in the labor force, followed by trade and industry, the data showed. The drop in the unemployment rate could increase the chances of the central bank raising interest rates earlier than expected."

"Bangladesh is planning to connect Mongla and Chittagong sea ports, through directly linking Yangoon with Dhaka, and by integrating major communication networks to increase efficiency, to enhance trade and tourism, and to improve distribution of farm products. This is the shortest and economically profitable route to connect to ASEAN states through which Bangladesh will be able to transport goods at the shortest time and at the minimum cost. If implemented, Bangladesh will be able to gain competitive advantage in the ASEAN market due to time and cost advantage.

The expanding domestic and international market for Bangladeshi products will accelerate the process of industrialization through product innovation, process improvement and technology development. The benefits of increased economic activities will be felt through higher standard of living, improved health care system and reduced crimes in the society."

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