KUALA LUMPUR: The Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti) will meet farmers early next month to discuss using existing technology for food security.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, said this would be the second such meeting with the key players in the agriculture and food sectors.
"The ministry has set up a war room on June 10, to tackle any food crisis. We had our first meeting last Wednesday and will meet farmers, including those from the National Farmers Organisation (Nafas), again next month.
"Malaysia has 46 existing technology solutions and we need to find ways to connect and integrate these with the stakeholders.
"For instance, we are looking at how to connect farmers with technology to find alternative materials which can replace corn which is the common feed for the animals," he said after the launch of the Southeast Asia Science Advice Network's (SEA SAN) conference with the theme, 'Bridging the Gap between Science and Policy in Southeast Asia' at a hotel here today.
Also present was SEA SAN chairman Prof. Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Zakri Abdul Hamid.
Dr Adham said the ministry had also reached out to relevant ministries to collaborate on efforts to reduce cost and increase productivity using technology related to food security.
Other measures to address food security technology, he said, included the agriculture hub in Manong, Perak.
Earlier, Dr Adham said Malaysia as the SEA SAN chapter head welcomed the move to make science more accessible to all scientists on a global scale, via the Open Science initiative.
"Open Science unlocks solutions to real economic and social challenges through data sharing and highlighting best practices. This will serve to accelerate solutions for the common good.
"In 2019, Malaysia had initiated an Open Science initiative via Malaysia Open Science Platform (MOSP), a data platform to share unpublished scientific data and datasets, publications and reports produced by local scientists which promote the visibility of research data collections to encourage their reuse.
"This initiative involves the collaboration of multi-agencies including Mosti; the Health and Higher Education ministries, the Malaysia Open Science Alliance and the Academy of Sciences Malaysia.
"The efficient dissemination of scientific findings can bridge the gap between science and policy throughout Asean and globally."
Dr Adham also said the Measat-3d telecommunications satellite in Kourou, French Guiana on June 22 (local time) would provide much-needed connectivity in remote areas.
"The launch of the satellite is important to provide 4G services in remote areas before the country can upgrade to 5G. It will serve for 15 years as a telecommunication satellite."
The live broadcast of the satellite launch is on June 23 at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur.
The RM1.2 billion Measat-3d satellite will allow Malaysians to enjoy high-speed Internet whether in urban and suburban areas or hard-to-reach rural villages, via Measat's CONNECTme NOW satellite broadband service.
It will complement the co-located Measat-3a and Measat-3b satellites at the 91.5° East orbital hotslot, replacing old capacity and building resiliency for Measat's fleet of satellites.