SERDANG: The Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry has unveiled a five-point plan geared towards ensuring national food security and boost revenue in the agriculture sector.
Its minister Datuk Salahuddin Ayub said the document, which centres on food security, rural economic development as well as spurring domestic investment and international trade, among others aims to free farmers, fishermen and livestock breeders from the shackles of poverty.
He said the government’s mission via the five points will be achieved via the execution of 18 strategies and 51 initiatives to ensure that the agricultural industry becomes even more competitive.
“The first point covers efforts to modernise and increase agricultural production to ensure supply stability and the nation’s food prices by stressing on the paddy, ruminants as well as fisheries sub sectors.
“The second point will see the ministry spur private sector investment in agriculture commercially, as well as increase agricultural trade export,” he said.
Salahuddin was speaking at the launch of the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry’s Direction ‘Priorities and Strategies 2019 - 2020’ at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) here on Thursday.
The third point, he said, covers efforts to make agriculture a solid, sustainable and profitable revenue source for farmers, livestock breeders, fishermen and young agropreneurs.
The fourth direction, he said, involves improving the agricultural industry ecosystem to support agriculture modernisation, domestic private sector investment and expansion activities for farmers, livestock breeders and fishermen.
The document concludes with the fifth point, which is to strengthen the organisational structure of the ministry’s departments and agencies to improve the delivery system and administration.
Salahuddin said, in executing the plan, the ministry aims to make agriculture a key contributor to the economy, thus freeing its players from the B40 segment.
He said the ministry has devised several measures to strengthen the nation’s agro-food sector, including establishing a national agro-food database, with a view towards ensuring that all plans are carried out precisely and effectively.
He said the ministry will also work with state governments to develop a comprehensive master plan on land development for agricultural purposes, as well resolve land-related issues.
Salahuddin said the ministry will also review all counterproductive policies which could stunt the planned changes, and replace them with agricultural-friendly policies which could transform the country’s agro-food industry landscape.
Meanwhile, Salahuddin, in a press conference later, said the document does not contradicting or overlap with the National Agro-Food Policy. The new directions, instead, complement the policy.
He said the five points will serve as a key aspect of the strategy and approaches in the government’s bid to help farmers, breeders and fishermen.
On calls by the group for cost of living aid, Salahuddin said the presentation of the new direction is not a suitable place to announce such matters, and stressed that the government has not done away with incentives enjoyed by the group.
“Apart from being faced with financial constraints, the ministry is also in the process of cleaning up the list of recipients. The aid will resume once the nation’s financial situation recovers,” he said.
Meanwhile, Salahuddin was visibly moved and shed tears when he read a letter addressed to him by a farmer during the launch.
The letter, written by 77-year-old Ibas Hamud, a representative of the Sungai Besar Farmers Association, conveyed the fears and concerns by the farming and fishermen communities over the cancellation of their cost-of-living allowances.
After reading the letter, Salahuddin pledged that as long as he is the minister, he would ensure that the livelihood of the communities would be looked after.