Vaccination for agrofood industry to be implemented soon - Ronald

PUTRAJAYA: The Agrofood Industry Vaccination Programme (AiVAC) will be implemented soon to cater to farmers, breeders and fishermen, said Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI) Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee.

He said AiVAC aims to increase vaccination among workers and individuals involved in the agrofood sector as well as help the government achieve herd immunity to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Speaking in conjunction with the Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen's Day 2021 celebration which was streamed live on the Farmers' Organisation Authority's (LPP) Facebook page today, Ronald said the initiative was also to protect the workers' well-being and to help economic recovery as well as the food value chain.

He said AiVAC is a collaboration between departments and agencies under MAFI at the federal, state and district levels, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and COVID-19 Immunisation Task Force.

On efforts to help farmers, breeders and fishermen affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the minister said the MAFI Prihatin food basket programme had been rolled out nationwide, and to date it had benefitted 63,000 recipients in 300 locations.

"I am aware that some of them have their incomes affected and food supplies cut off. Therefore departments and agencies under the ministry are actively mobilising the MAFI Prihatin programme," he said.

Ronald said the government had also approved a RM62 million Prihatin Special Fund allocation for LPPs nationwide to help the affected target groups.

He said the B40 group received the government's attention through a cash crop project which involved an allocation of RM13.21 million to help them generate income in a short period of time.

Ronald encouraged micro-entrepreneurs and B40 communities involved in the agriculture and food industry sectors to apply for government funding facilities through Agrobank.

According to him, the Agrobank Microcredit Financing Scheme involves an allocation of RM850 million through RM350 million allocated under the National Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA) and RM500 million under the National People's Well-Being and Economic Recovery Package (PEMULIH).

On the constraints faced by farmers, Ronald also said the government would continue all subsidised agricultural input and output programmes to support the country's rice industry.

These cover the Certified Padi Seed Incentive programme, Federal Government Padi Fertiliser Scheme, Padi Production Incentive Scheme, Hill Padi Fertiliser and Pesticide Scheme as well as Padi Price Subsidy Scheme, which involves an allocation of RM1.57 billion through Budget 2021.

-- BERNAMA