The Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry and numerous other government agencies including FAMA, are committed towards efforts to increase food production, especially vegetables, fruits, meat and processed meat, with a view of reducing the country’s food import bill. Emphasis is also given to the fisheries sector by increasing the output of aqua-culture products for domestic consumption as well as for export.

Both the Ministry and FAMA continue to introduce initiatives geared at increasing food productivity apart from undertaking measures to strengthen the competitiveness of the food production sector.

The FAMA-initiated Edible Garden project for instance, is envisaged to benefit settlers in some 317 Felda settlements nationwide, while the Ministry on its part has identified companies to carry out joint venture programmes to market tropical fruits to Middle East countries.

Through its Graduate Entrepreneur Development Programme (GEDP), FAMA has left no stone unturned in its effort to train and assist unemployed graduates to build up their potentials as agro-entrepreneurs.

At the same time, local farmers and dedicated agro-entrepreneurs are urged to emulate their counterparts in Thailand, in their determination to aspire and achieve the concept that agriculture is business.

In light of increasing concern over food-borne disease outbreaks, people want to know what they are eating. Consumers want greater protection from the hazards occurring along the farm-to-table continuum. Thus, it is essential that the food source is easily traceable.

In line with such development, FAMA will enforce a grading system for all vegetables and fruits sold in Malaysia come April. This system applies equally all across the retail chain, from the hypermarkets, the farmers’ markets and the night markets. Buyers will be able to know exactly what they are eating and where it came from.