Malaysia is ranked 39th in the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) in the report released by the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) for 2021 out of 113 countries worldwide.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee said Malaysia’s position among Asia Pacific countries was the eighth best while the second best in Southeast Asia after Singapore.
Nevertheless, strengthening the country’s food security is an ongoing process and we must continue to work to improve our position in the GFSI in line with the Government’s intention to further strengthen the agro -food sector during the Twelfth Malaysia Plan period; he said when delivering the 2022 Mandate of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI).
He said therefore, the National Food Policy Action Plan (DSMN Action Plan) 2021-2025 which will be launched in the near future is a strategy that will support the implementation of the National Agro-Food Policy 2021-2030 (DAN 2.0).
He said the initial phase of the implementation of DAN 2.0, a comprehensive policy to ensure the country’s food security is competitive and sustainable based on key government policies including the Vision for Shared Prosperity 2030 and the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, was one of MAFI’s key achievements last year.
However, any policy planning will not succeed without effective and efficient implementation so as to have a greater impact on the well -being of Malaysian Families. DAN 2.0 is not just a mere policy document, but it must be used as a guide and reference in all efforts and initiatives taken by MAFI.
Ronald said DAN 2.0 had positioned modernization and smart agriculture as a catalyst for change and a key policy thrust that would be focused on for the successful transformation of the agro-food sector.
He said the contribution of the agro-food sector to Gross Domestic Product is expected to increase to five per cent by 2030, the final year of the implementation of DAN 2.0 compared to 2.3 per cent in 2020.
He also informed that the National Ruminant Board will be established and operate in phases starting this year to boost the growth of the ruminant industry specially in strengthening the country’s meat and dairy production.
Ronald said MAFI had launched the National Meat Industry Development Strategic Plan 2021-2025 and the National Dairy Industry Development Strategic Plan 2021-2025 to develop the country’s ruminant industry.
Through these plans, the local fresh meat and milk production target will be able to be increased to achieve the 50 per cent self-sufficiency level (SSL) target for meat production and 100 per cent SSL for fresh milk by 2025, he said.
