KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 — Malaysia must accelerate the modernisation of its agricultural sector and improve production efficiency to strengthen food security amid growing challenges, said Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu.
He said Malaysia could learn from countries such as Brazil, which had significantly increased its agricultural output, particularly corn, through a market guarantee system rather than relying solely on subsidies.
Recounting his meeting with his Brazilian counterpart, Mohamad said Brazil’s approach did not involve providing subsidies to farmers. Instead, the government guaranteed to purchase produce that could not be sold in the market.
“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,” he said.
