Food and Fertilizer Technology Center - publications

In recent years, countries in the Asian and Pacific (ASPAC) region have made great strides at reducing poverty and food insecurity, and in improving the socioeconomic well-being of their people. However, while progress has been widespread across the region, many remain mired in poverty, especially in developing and transition economies. In rural landscapes where agriculture has remained the main source of livelihood, small-scale farmers become increasingly vulnerable particularly to the globalization of the agriculture sector. This is characterized by highly-advanced technological innovations, large-scale production dominating the markets in a highly competitive environment and in view of changing consumer preferences, and shifting international agricultural trade regime. Amid these structural changes in agriculture, markets and consumers have become segmented, and issues such as food safety, environment-friendly production and sustainability have become major concerns. While farming conglomerates easily conquered these new challenges, small-scale farmers in the region are left groping to survive in an increasingly harsh environment. In view of these, the need of small-scale farmers for state-of-the-art, but practical information and technologies has become even greater than before. That is why year after year, FFTC reviews its strategies and work programs to fittingly integrate the need of small-scale farmers in the face of the current global agricultural environment. The ultimate mission of FFTC is to promote increased information and technological exchanges among countries in the region in support of their development efforts and to contribute to the creation of a genuinely interdependent regional sustainable agriculture. The FFTC Annual Report 2006 presents our work program and initiatives in pursuit of this goal in the past year. Our Center is proud to contribute, in our own little way, to the ASPAC region's process of social and economic progress by addressing our small-scale farmers' basic need for practical information and technology. We look forward to working with all our member countries and partner institutions as we take the next steps on this journey toward a broad-based economic growth and sustainable agricultural development of the ASPAC region.