Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development Vol. 17 No. 2

AJAD 17.2 articles examine the Asian rice and palm oil sectors and recommend policies and practices to bolster their performances. Malaysia's foreign labor shortage in its palm oil industry suggests an increased focus on genetic innovation and diversification. The Philippine rice value chain analysis paper shows constraints and proposes upgrading strategies to enhance rice industry competitiveness. Prawn-rice culture in the Bangladesh gher system impacted on agricultural and household incomes, soil fertility, and productivity. The fourth paper assesses the dynamics between paddy yields and climate variables in Nepal. The other papers explore issues and challenges on the emergence of producer companies in India, cultural keystone species of upland rice in the Philippines, and trends and linkages in the non-timber forest products value chain.