KUALA LUMPUR: The National Food Security Action Plan 2021-2025, which is expected to be launched by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin soon, would focus on initiatives towards a sustainable food system.
The Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry said this would be achieved based on five strategic thrusts, namely, expansion of technology usage, enhancing study and research; strengthening food security data, expansion of strategic collaborations and strengthening governance among the departments and agencies.
It said recommendations were presented during a virtual meeting by the Cabinet Committee on National Food Security chaired by Muhyiddin yesterday based on the draft of the action plan, which was principally agreed.
The implementation of the action plan would be guided by 15 strategies and 96 initiatives across the agencies and ministries, it said in a statement today.
"Among them are food accessibility and affordability in the market, improving domestic food production, apart from reducing dependency on food imports and foreign labour, thus ensuring the country's preparedness in facing food security crises.
"The action plan will focus on all the four food security dimensions, namely, availability, access, consumption; and stability and sustainability, in accordance to those outlined by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). "
The action plan would also reflect the government's "whole of society" aspiration, which supported efforts by the private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), state governments and the people in enhancing the country's food security, said the ministry.
The committee also agreed on steps to be taken on controlling and monitoring activities related to the import and transit process of livestock products.
This, it said, includes stepping up monitoring of meat imports, which started from the entry point right to the retail level.
During the meeting, actions to enhance on monitoring and enforcement for meat imports, as well as issues on price increases of onion were also discussed.
Also presented were papers on progress of the Smart Padi Field Programme (Smart SBB) that involves industry players in improving the padi industry's productivity, while striving to achieve the 75 per cent self-sufficiency level target under the 12th Malaysia Plan.
A paper to inform Malaysia's performance in the 2020 Global Food Security Index (GFSI) was also presented during the meeting, and its analysis was also taken into consideration in preparing the action plan.
Malaysia was ranked 43rd in the index which was published earlier this year based on among others, affordability, availability, as well as quality and safety.
"The ministry, under the 12th Malaysia Plan will emphasise on initiatives to increase production, strengthen support systems and services, as well as the food chain in achieving overall food system sustainability.
"The government will continue efforts to ensure food supplies in the country remain secured in any circumstances in enhancing the people's health and wellbeing, especially during a time when the country is facing the Covid-19 pandemic," it added.