Malaysia’s food security improved significantly in 2024, with the country achieving a “good performance” rating for the first time under the newly introduced Malaysia Food Security Index (MFSI), according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
The inaugural index, released on Monday, recorded an overall score of 61.5 in 2024, up sharply from 54.5 in 2023, reflecting stronger performance across key aspects of the country’s food security system.
Chief Statistician Dato’ Sri Dr. Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the new index provides a comprehensive measurement of Malaysia’s food security using official data aligned with international frameworks.
“The Malaysia Food Security Index reflects the Government’s continuous efforts in strengthening a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive food system,” he said in a statement.
The index measures food security across four dimensions — availability, accessibility, utilisation and stability — using 25 key indicators tracked from 2013 to 2024.
Among the four pillars, the Accessibility Index recorded the strongest improvement, rising to 79.9 in 2024 from 59.6 a year earlier, supported by lower food inflation, better road connectivity and higher median wages.
Food inflation posted the highest individual score within the dimension at 84.1, followed by unpaved roads at 83.6 and median wages and salaries at 81.9.
The Stability Index also improved significantly to 54.6 from 40.2, driven largely by stronger per capita food consumption as well as favourable temperature indicators.
Meanwhile, the Utilisation Index edged up to 50.4 from 48.5, supported by improvements in public health indicators including childhood nutrition, life expectancy and access to clean water.
However, the Availability Index declined to 50.0 from 54.3 in 2023, reflecting weaker performance in imports and exports of key agricultural products, post-harvest losses and available dietary energy supply.
Despite the decline, production of major food agriculture products improved during the year, while available energy supply per capita and exports remained among the highest-scoring indicators within the availability component.
Mohd Uzir said the overall improvement in the index was primarily driven by gains in accessibility and stability, indicating that Malaysians enjoyed better access to food despite challenges in domestic food supply.
He noted that many countries have adopted national food security indices to guide policymaking, including Indonesia through its Food Security and Vulnerability Atlas (FSVA) and the United Kingdom through its UK Food Security Index.
Malaysia’s index is expected to serve as an important evidence-based tool to monitor food security, support the implementation of the National Food Security Policy 2030 and the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), while identifying areas requiring strategic intervention to strengthen long-term food resilience.
DOSM said it will continue refining the food security indicators and analysis to support policymaking aimed at building a more resilient and sustainable national food system.
