Agricultural Modernisation Key To Strengthening Food Security, Says Mohamad Sabu

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 – Malaysia must accelerate the modernisation of its agricultural sector and enhance production efficiency to bolster national food security amid rising global and climate challenges, said Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu.

Speaking at the 14th Series of the Malaysia MADANI Intellectual Forum in Kuala Lumpur on Friday night, November 6, 2026, Mohamad highlighted Brazil’s agricultural model as a key reference, noting how the country significantly boosted crop production—particularly corn—by offering market purchase guarantees rather than relying purely on subsidies.

“Regardless of how much they produce, the government guarantees to buy any unsold produce. This motivates farmers to work harder and increase their output, knowing that the government will purchase what they cannot sell,” Mohamad explained during the session, which was moderated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Regarding Malaysia’s RM2.6 billion subsidy allocation for local padi production, Mohamad clarified that calls to completely dismantle subsidies in favor of a purchase-only system were inappropriate, as local padi farmers still require sustained support. He cited progress within the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) area, where top-performing farmers have achieved yields of eight to nine tonnes per hectare, though broader adoption of modern practices needs to be accelerated.

Updating the national food self-sufficiency status:

• Fish & Aquaculture: Self-sufficiency has been achieved through rapid aquaculture growth.
• Poultry & Eggs: Domestic chicken and egg production remains fully sufficient to meet national demand.
• Grain Corn & Onions: The ministry is partnering with major corporations to expand grain corn cultivation, targeting 30 per cent domestic self-sufficiency by 2030, while expanding onion farming based on research by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI).

Mohamad also stressed the urgency of tightening linkages between agricultural research institutions, universities, and rural farming communities, pointing to Thailand’s direct knowledge-transfer model as an example to follow.

Addressing potential disruptions, the minister warned of emerging cyberwarfare threats that could impact digital supply chain networks. However, he assured that physical food reserves remain robust, with rice buffer stocks secured for at least six months and fish supplies for eight months. The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) is also fully prepared to manage physical food distribution in the event of digital network disruptions.

On climate challenges, the ministry is closely monitoring forecasts from the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) regarding the El Niño phenomenon, which could bring extreme temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius after December 2026. Farmers are advised to strictly adhere to planting schedules to manage water levels across MADA’s three primary dams prudently.

Strategic Initiatives, Commodity Status, and Buffer Stock Summary

Key agricultural policies, target self-sufficiency levels, and crisis preparedness metrics include:

• Agricultural Policy Benchmark: Brazil’s market purchase guarantee model for unsold produce to encourage higher yield outputs.
• Padi & Rice Subsidies: RM2.6 billion allocated; MADA yields reaching 8–9 tonnes per hectare among top farmers.
• Grain Corn Self-Sufficiency Goal: 30% domestic supply target by 2030 through corporate partnerships.
• National Buffer Reserves: Rice stocks secured for 6 months; fish reserves guaranteed for 8 months; FAMA standby distribution ready for cyber/digital outages.
• Climate Risk Management: Monitoring post-December 2026 El Niño extreme temperatures (up to 40°C) and water rationing protocols for MADA dams.

–NMT