Efforts to promote responsible and sustainable investment in the food, agriculture, and forestry sectors were the focus of the National Parliamentary Dialogue on Promoting Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture and Forestry (ASEAN RAI), held on Thursday at the Legislative Council Building.

The dialogue, jointly organised by the Legislative Council (LegCo) and ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), and the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT), gathered over 40 participants comprising LegCo members, government agencies, agricultural entrepreneurs, educational institutions, private sector representatives, and regional partners.

The opening session featured remarks by LegCo member Yang Berhormat Lau How Teck, AIPA Secretary-General Ar Siti Rozaimeriyanty Dato Haji Abdul Rahman, FAO Representative to Indonesia and Timor-Leste and FAO Coordinator for ASEAN Rajendra Aryal, and Permanent at the MPRT Secretary Hajah Tutiaty binti Haji Abdul Wahab.

In his remarks, Yang Berhormat Lau underscored Brunei’s efforts in strengthening food security, diversifying the economy through agro-based industries, and encouraging responsible investment aligned with the ASEAN guidelines on ASEAN RAI.

He noted that Brunei’s initiatives, including i-Usahawan, Agrobiz, and value-added agricultural products, have helped attract youth participation and reflected several of ASEAN RAI’s core principles. The dialogue’s first session provided an overview of ASEAN RAI’s implementation at national and regional levels, with presentations from FAO, the ASEAN Secretariat, LegCo, Cambodia’s Parliament, and the MPRT.

LegCo member Yang Berhormat Pengiran Haji Isa bin Pengiran Haji Aliuddin emphasised the role of parliaments in supporting policies that balance economic priorities, sustainable resources and local community benefits.

Further insight into Brunei’s national efforts was shared by Assistant Director of Agriculture and Agrifood Haji Noor Azri bin Haji Mohd Noor, who highlighted initiatives to strengthen value chains, improve downstream processing, and ensure food safety compliance through multi-stakeholder collaboration.

A panel discussion in the final session, featuring Yang Berhormat Lau, Malaysian member of Parliament Oscar Ling Chai Yew, Assistant Director Hirman bin Haji Abu, and Mori Farm founder Lim Jun Hong, discussed implementation challenges, policy alignment, institutional support, and the importance of community engagement in advancing ASEAN RAI objectives.

Participants later visited Hua Ho Agricultural Farm and Mori Farm, which served as examples of responsible and sustainable agricultural practices in Brunei.

The dialogue aimed to strengthen understanding, reaffirm commitments, and provide a stronger foundation for Brunei and ASEAN member countries in advancing ethical, inclusive, and resilient agricultural development. 

​(News source: Borneo Bulletin)