FUTURE AGRICULTURE IN MALAYSIA (Part 2)

Malaysia has been very successful in developing the country through organized and focused economic development plans. Globally, Malaysia has been ranked sixth in 2014 on Ease of Doing Business, 20th in the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) 2014- 2015, 33rd in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2014 and 56th in the World Happiness Index (2013). These indicators have proven that Malaysia is capable to promote a new orientation of development focusing towards sustainability and inclusiveness. The development of a nation relies on its citizen’s wellbeing. One of the important factors of citizen’s wellbeing is food production. Food is the backbone of the society. Realising this, the Malaysian government has taken steps to ensure that there is enough food for its population. The emphasis is on self-sustainability. The agro-ecosystem management and agricultural planning has been revamped to ensure sustainability and to include green-friendly values and equitable and inclusiveness of all stake holders. Sustainable development must be inclusive enough to cater and address the population’s wider needs for food, feed, fuel, fibre, furniture, pharmaceuticals and felicity. Constraints such as high implementation cost, and pressing health and environmental concerns require governments to plan their agriculture development towards being trim, mean, focused, not wasteful, savvy, and compliant to the global environmental and health standards. Agro-ecosystem Management Challenges is a factor to be discussed. Malaysia is blessed with fertile soil and abundance of rain since it is located on the world tropical belt. However, to meet the agriculture development objectives Malaysia has to face and overcome social, economic and environmental challenges. This article in "Anim Agriculture Technology" I would like to share some basic information with all readers. 

National Priorities on Agro-ecosystem Management
Agriculture has been identified as one of the sectors that can contribute towards Malaysia’s development. Several initiatives to reflect to the importance of sustainable agro-ecosystem management have been included in major national programmes.

Global Science & Innovation Advisory Council (GSIAC)

GSIAC is a strategic platform that aims to bridge the gap between local and international players. One of the GSIAC initiatives is to help Asian countries achieve an environmentally-sustainable high-income economy driven by knowledge and innovation. Malaysia is using this initiative to develop its agriculture sector by focusing on high-technology; market expansion and good agriculture practices which has been identified as the three important thrusts in the effort to transform agriculture into a source of high income for the nation.

National Science and Research Council (NSRC): 

NSRC is mandated to ensure Malaysia’s investment in science and technology makes the greatest possible contribution to a high-value economy through an increase in productivity, environmental quality, stimulation in R&D and enhancement of skills of the workforce. One of the main focus areas in NSRC is agriculture sciences. NSRC has tabled fifteen top national food security research priorities clustered around four themes as suggested in Global Food Security: Strategic Plan 2011-2016.

Economic Transformation Programme :

The programme aims to transform the industry from small-scaled production-based operations into large-scale agribusinesses that generate sustainable economic growth. This transformation is based on an integrated and market-centric model that comprises four key themes: capitalizing on competitive advantages, tapping premium markets, aligning food security objectives with increasing GNI, and participating in the regional agricultural value chain. The transformation programmes have identified seventeen projects that cover from dietary and herbal development to transformation of “Pasar komuniti” (community market) which are believed to give high impact to Malaysia.

By,

M Anem,

Room 1807, Imperial Hertitage Hotel,

Bandar Hilir,

Melaka, Malaysia.

(17 RabiulAwal 1439H)