Staff of the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry should be prepared for the 2050 National Transformation (TN50) when the need for food will increase, said its deputy secretary-general (development) Badrol Hisham Mohd.

He said the there would be greater challenge facing the ministry by 2050 as the population was expected to reach 50 million people and the demand for food would also increase.

"The country's food demand is expected to increase by 40 per cent in 2050 with food sources getting smaller. As a strategic ministry and responsible for the national food security issues, all the staff should take responsibility to fight the challenge," he said when opening the ministry's Civil Service Guidance Programme (Akrab) seminar here, Wednesday.

Akrab is established to assist different working groups with different cultures and values to find common ground in order to create a positive and harmonious work culture.

Currently, the number of Akrab members stands at 335.

-- BERNAMA