KUALA LUMPUR: Food security, over reliance on imports, as well as costly and inefficient food supply chains are some of the challenges Barisan Nasional hopes to address if it wins the 15th General Election (GE15).
BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, when unveiling the coalition's manifesto tonight said they would set up six new food valleys across the country.
"We will nurture a new and young generation of 5,000 modern farmers under the age of 40 within a period of five years.
"This will be done through a special training programme or academy in collaboration with the industry.
"We will also subsidise 50 per cent of the financing of skills training in the field of agriculture, fisheries, animal husbandry and enterprises in rural areas," he said.
He added that BN will implement the 'Efficient Farming, Sufficient Produce' Agenda by extensively expanding the use of modern technology such as 'precision farming' and the use of Internet of Things in the rural economy.
Zahid said they will work with state governments to permanently gazette agricultural areas such as paddy fields and grazing land to prevent a change of status to municipal, industrial and settlement areas.
He said the Approved Permits (AP) for agro-food imports, especially products that have no domestic production will be removed.
"We will also mandate that 10 per cent of government linked companies' farms should be designated for food production.
"We will also establish an Agricultural Protection Scheme that is jointly contributed by farmers and the government to protect agricultural operators from any out-of-control risks including bad weather and disease," he said.