A National Agro-food Policy will be introduced soon to ensure that Malaysia will continue to have sufficient and safe food supply, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar said.
He said the policy, which was drafted for a 10-year period starting this year until 2020 and to replace the National Agriculture Policy (DPN3) which ended last year, would be tabled to the Cabinet for approval soon.
The minister said the policy would be the source of reference and guidelines for departments and agencies under the ministry to carry out their projects.
“Actually, we are supposed to continue with DPN4, but we are giving extra focus on food safety assurance and food sector.
“The policy will ensure sufficient food supply, safe food for consumption and also aimed at turning agro-food into a competitive and sustainable industry.
“At the same time, it is also aimed at increasing the income of agro-entrepreneurs when we achieve the status of a developed nation in 2020,” he told reporters after presenting Excellence Service Award to the ministry’s staff here today.
Noh said the national agro-food policy would not only focus on food sector, but also on new industries with high growth potential like swiftlet nest and ornamental fish industries.
Besides, he said the policy would also stress on large-scale agriculture and encourage diversification of land use and farmers’ activities.
In his speech earlier, Noh said the economic report for the first quarter of 2011 issued by the Finance Ministry stated that the Gross Domestic Product had recorded a positive growth of 4.6 per cent, which was led by the service sector with 5.9 per cent, followed by manufacturing sector (5.4) and construction sector (3.8).
He said several sectors, however, recorded contraction, including agriculture sector with -0.3 per cent and mining sector (-3.0).
“Although we recorded a contraction of -0.3 per cent, but it was still better than the -3.9 per cent recorded in the fourth quarter of 2010. That’s a growth of 2.6 per cent.”
“Hence, I hope the ministry’s staff will double up their efforts to take the agriculture sector to a greater height, especially in facing upcoming challenges,” he added.
