Agriculture Ministry focuses on supply chain reforms to strengthen national food security
As of Feb 1, a total of 4,805 programmes had been held nationwide, generating RM89 million in sales and benefiting an estimated 26 million households.
KUALA LUMPUR – The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry is committed to addressing structural challenges in the agricultural sector through supply chain optimisation and the empowerment of healthy food producers, said its minister Mohamad Sabu.
He said the move aims not only to meet current food needs but also to ensure sustainable food production without compromising the interests of future generations.
"To achieve true resilience, the ministry is focusing on efficient and productive agriculture as well as a sustainable agro-food system,” he told Bernama recently.
Mohamad said the transformation of the food system is designed to benefit producers, processors and consumers.
The ministry wants local producers to take pride in their products by adopting modern agricultural practices, better water management and innovative technologies to increase yields, he said.
He said the ministry’s long-term vision is to transform the national food system into a more efficient, resilient, sustainable and inclusive ecosystem by 2030 through the National Food Security Policy 2030.
The policy shifts the country from conventional methods to a holistic approach that links food security with environmental sustainability, socio-economic justice and public health.
"Our goal is to ensure a continuous supply of sufficient, safe and nutritious food to face global market dynamics and external uncertainties,” he said.
Under the Madani Economic Framework, Mohamad said the ministry is prioritising structural reforms to transform the agri-food sector into a modern, resilient and high-value system.
He said the ministry is focusing on three key strategies, namely increasing production, strengthening supply security and improving the food supply chain.
Among the measures implemented are smart agriculture and the use of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, as well as intensifying paddy cultivation, including implementing five planting seasons within two years in suitable areas.
To strengthen supply security, the ministry is protecting the National Food Resource Area from land conversion and developing strategies to address the impact of climate change on the agro-food sector.
It is also improving integrated marketing infrastructure, developing price and supply databases, and enforcing laws to curb price manipulation in the food supply chain.
Meanwhile, Mohamad said the Madani Agro Sales Programme offers food items such as vegetables, fruits, chicken, eggs, meat and seafood at prices 10 to 30 per cent lower than the market to help people cope with the rising cost of living.
As of Feb 1, a total of 4,805 programmes had been held nationwide, generating RM89 million in sales and benefiting an estimated 26 million households.
He added that the programme also allows local farmers, breeders and agro-entrepreneurs to market their products directly, increasing their income by reducing reliance on middlemen. - BERNAMA
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