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Rice harvesting in the Mekong Delta is lower than what it could be. Only 28% of the 420,000 acres under cultivation benefit from high technology, suggesting large increases in production could be achieved with more technology input.

Viet Nam Net reports that these losses reach 500,000-600,000 tons of food. The Philippine Sun Star recently pointed to the fact that Mindanao was basing its topographic maps on aerial photographic data collected between 1947-53. At a time when several satellites circle the planet providing high-resolution data, daily in some cases, such cases of outdated information raises questions.

The Food and Fertilizer Technology Centre (FFTC), a Taiwan based organisation operating throughout Asia and the Pacific regions indicates, "Asia stands to gain from the extensive application of these agricultural technologies as crop production has not been keeping up with the demands of the alarmingly increasing population. The richness of its agricultural resources, availability of labor, and the huge market for its products make it possible for Asia to advance its agricultural development and achieve self-sufficiency in crop production."

To achieve this goal work must proceed on several fronts, beginning with land administration and management. Accurate measurement of the current land base using survey technologies including GNSS, high resolution imagery, geographic information systems(GIS) as well as site specific knowledge and experience are all likely to contribute toward increased production.

The final answers are not going to rest solely on increases related to geotechnologies. Improvements in deploying meteorological forecasting and the development of suitable modeling tools will also play a integral role toward increasing Asian agricultural production, and avoiding crop losses associated with lack of mechanization.

Already scientists at the National Central University in Taiwan have been researching the relationship of land use to drought within the Mekong Delta. N.T.Son1 and C. F. Chen of that University have used remotely sensed images to predict drought patterns. While these local issues, and their successful management are promising, other issues such as water flow through Asian regions and hydroelectic development along rivers must also be more closely investigated.

ASM Newsletter is distributed by e-mail every week. It reports on events in the spatial industry in Asia and events outside the region which will impact on Asia.