Lok Sabha: Federal, state governments need to move as food security strengthens

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5: Federal and state governments should move together in implementing efforts to strengthen the country's food security.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said cooperation between the two sides is important to reduce the country's dependence on imported food supplies reaching RM92.7 billion by 2025.

He said among the good cooperation of the sector was through the approach of the Government of Sarawak under the administration of Prime Minister Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg who announced provision for 14,000 hectares to be developed as farmland, besides allocating RM1 billion for the purpose.

"The Prime Minister of Sarawak also announced that the allocation from the Federal Government should be proportionate. It's one of those serious endeavors.

"It is also the case in Sabah (including rice fields in Kota Belud), we are working to improve irrigation and so on so that the state of rice abundance in our country will be more secure in future", he said.

He said so in response to a question by Khoo Poay Tiong (Khoo Cities of Malacca) who wanted to know the ministry's efforts to reduce the country's import food dependence rate which has exceeded RM90 billion by 2025.

Mohamad In said that he also implemented rice planting projects five times in two years in certain areas including under the Board of Advancement of Young Agriculture (MADA).

He said that the production of rice and rice should be given serious consideration as there is a risk of disruption in the food supply chain due to global geopolitical developments.

"Besides, we're now being hit by El Nino and so on, this is going to lead to a possible decline in yields. So the pressure has to be given priority in these efforts we're doing.

"Maybe by 2030 we can reach 80 percent of the national rice self-sufficiency level (SSR). That's our hope", he said.