Letters

Right recipe for a food hub

LETTERS: The economic downturn, inflation, geopolitical instability and pandemic have presented what seems to look like a perfect storm where the sustenance of food for Malaysia has to be viewed and understood by all.

It is imperative to start educating ourselves on the importance of food security. Citizens need to build up knowledge of the matter to not only be prepared for a crisis, but also help the community.

For one, over-reliance on imported foodstuff is not sustainable and can have a detrimental effect on achieving food security.

Another end of this spectrum is food waste — the country can only survive if we are prudent in spending and consuming food.

Communities can work to improve food security in their areas. Non-profit organisations and municipalities can use their platform to work towards ensuring that all citizens have access to basic foodstuff, such as rice and cooking items.

This community-driven approach has worked wonders as Malaysians have proven that we are capable of taking care of one another, as the recent flooding in several areas in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor has shown us.

A more concerted effort to divert and come up with viable logistics is crucial when food becomes scarce. This seemingly catastrophic problem can also be turned into opportunities.

Blessed with fertile lands, we can improve the domestic output of targeted products by introducing soft loans and grants to spur growth.

Moreover, years of expertise by government agencies can be put into use as the government is aggressively marketing agropreneur and agrotourism as a viable business and career choice for young Malaysians.

With good infrastructure in place, Malaysia can make use of our advanced logistics prowess and the geographic advantages to become a food hub in the region.

In conclusion, the issue of food security must be looked into and handled with great care and attention.

As the government works to improve supplies by using leverages through trading, investing in growing the domestic output and having resources to import, Malaysians can also do their part.

We can work towards reducing food waste by being prudent in spending and buying food.

Companies can also invest in agriculture as the sector proves to be of paramount importance and is able to sustain profit if handled with expertise.

All in all, food security must be discussed by everyone as it involves every one of us. Use less, save more.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DR WAN NURUL NADIAH WAN RASDI

Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science,

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu


The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times

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