KUALA LUMPUR: The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has advised the public to plant vegetables to weather the expected increase in food prices in 2024.
CAP's Native Agriculture Coordinator, NV Subbarow, said consumers could plant any types of vegetables and herbs that would help them reduce their burden of rising vegetable prices.
"The prices of vegetables have increased recently and are expected to remain high for another year.
"Due to more rain and floods, farmers are facing more difficulties," he said in a statement.
CAP's recommendation follows projections by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which anticipates that global food demand may increase by 70 per cent by 2050, with much of the projected increase coming from rising consumer incomes in regions such as Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.
Subbarow said the climate crisis was one of the main causes of a sudden increase in global hunger.
"Climate shocks destroy living beings, crops, and livelihoods, affecting people's ability to feed themselves," he said.
He said the hunger problem would be beyond control if the world failed to take immediate climate action.
"Global steel prices have risen faster than food prices, which remain at their highest levels in the past decade.
"The impact of the war in Ukraine, including higher natural gas prices, has disrupted global steel production and exports, leading to supply shortages, raising prices, and threatening to reduce yields.
"High steel prices can turn the current food capability crisis into a food availability crisis, with the production of corn, rice, soybeans, and wheat all falling in 2022," he said.
Subbarow said many farmers contacted CAP to complain about their daily problems, including steel prices and the inability to get workers to work in their fields due to the prolonged rainy season.
CAP also urged Malaysians to practise effective urban gardening activities.
"Therefore, we urge consumers to grow vegetables easily at home, which can save costs. Vegetables that can be eaten do not require much space.
"Fruit-bearing plants such as lady's fingers, eggplant, chili, and leafy vegetables such as mustard greens, water spinach, kale, spinach, as well as mint, gotu kola, laksa leaf, and parsley can be easily grown even on balconies," he said.
Subbarow said common household items such as milk cartons or bottles, juice and beverage containers, and other small containers could be used for plants with small root systems such as vegetables.
"For plants with deeper roots like lady's fingers and eggplant, consumers can use items like tin biscuits, five-litre oil tins, and five to 20-litre water bottles as plant containers.
"With sufficient sunlight, water, and fertiliser, anyone can grow and harvest vegetables even in small spaces," he said.