KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 11): The size of land used for agrofood is estimated to increase by just 1.2% from 2021 to 2025, mainly for growing vegetables and for aquaculture, according to the Ministry of Economy.
Land allocated for paddy fields is expected to decrease by 1.4% from 2021 to 2025, according to the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) Mid-Term Review (MTR) published by the ministry on Monday.
In 2021, agrofood constituted 16.26% or 870,994 hectares of the 5.36 million hectares of agricultural land in Peninsular Malaysia, while the other 83.74% or 4.49 million hectares was taken up by the agro-commodity subsector.
According to the ministry, despite increased local production of agrofood, supply is still unable to meet local demand and thus underpins the need for higher productivity to ensure food availability.
Towards increasing local production, the Ministry of Economy has identified that the agrofood sub-sector needs to be transformed to be technologically driven, while at the same time being sustainable and resilient.
“Food availability relies on self-sufficiency that requires capital, manpower, technology, and efficient management to ensure higher productivity in food production.
“In the remaining 12MP period, emphasis will be given, particularly to sub-sector-specific strategies in order to boost productivity growth and address issues faced by the related subsectors,” the MTR report read.
This will be achieved by intensifying smart farming activities across all sub-sectors, including accelerating the adoption of technologies, attracting talent, increasing participation of technology providers and expanding farm size to boost domestic production.
“Particular attention will also be given to embracing sustainable practices and adopting mechanisation and automation in the plantation sub-sector to promote activities that combine sustainability and productivity,” it added.
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