Ronald: MAFI to increase productivity, strengthen food value chains in 12MP

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI) will emphasise, among other things, boosting productivity and empowering the support and service system under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).

Its Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee, said MAFI would also strengthen the food value chains towards increasing the resilience of the food system.

He said the development of the agrofood sector under 12MP, via modernisation efforts by focusing on expanding mechanisation and automation adaptation, will continue boosting the sector's contribution towards the national gross domestic product (GDP).

"MAFI's commitment to safeguarding national food security is also demonstrated in the National Agrofood Policy 2.0 (2021-2030) (NAP 2.0)," he said when delivering a keynote address at the Food Security: Realising the Needs of the People Seminar, via a webinar today.

His speech text was read by MAFI Deputy Minister I Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah.

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He said NAP 2.0 supported the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 and the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030, and contributed Malaysia's aspirations in the context of economy, social management and environment sustainability in the agrofood sector for a period of one decade.

Ronald believed the effectiveness of government efforts in ensuring the sustainability of the food system could be gauged through national achievements in the domestic and international indicators.

He said that the indicators included the self-sufficiency level (SSL), import dependency rate (IDR), Global Food Security Index (GFSI) and SDGs.

In the meantime, Ronald also said that there is a gap in the national food system, as indicated by the disruption in the food system during the early phase of the Movement Control Order (MCO) implemented nationwide.

"This pandemic has exposed several weaknesses in the country's food supply chain, in terms of logistics in particular, when farmers faced difficulties to market their produce.

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However, Ronald said disruptions in the supply chains were successfully addressed by the government, via cooperation between the ministry and the agencies involved.

He added that the agrofood sector also face challenges in terms of imports, as many countries have implemented protectionist (or protectionism) policies for several essential commodities such as rice.

-- BERNAMA