KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 (Bernama) -- The government intends to reduce the country's dependence on food imports worth RM28 billion last year to about RM14 billion annually.

According to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, the move will curb currency outflow.

To achieve this objective, Najib stressed the need to establish an economy to realise a "High Income Model", to enhance the earnings of farmers, fishermen and breeders.

"The challenge is to bring agricultural producers closer to the market so that they can receive a bigger income," said Najib in his speech while officiating the national level Farmers Market Convention 2009 here.

Najib also expressed support for the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority's (FAMA) proposal under the 10th Malaysian Plan to provide 5,000 three-wheeler motorcycles to entrepreneurs for them to act as suppliers to the Agrobazaar Kedai Rakyat and farmers markets.

Najib said the farmers market concept, which offers a a one-stop centre for agricultural produce such as that adopted by developed countries, is one which can succeed and attract tourists to it.

He also said that one of the ways, producers of agricultural products can earn a lucrative income, is to produce food of high quality or also known as "gourmet food".

FAMA chairman Datuk Paduka Badruddin Amiruldin in his speech at the same event, said the programme and activities of the organisation related to agricultural produce, would be streamlined with the National Food Storehouse programme where FELDA farmers will act as an intermediary for the main suppliers of fresh agricultural produce to the varied concept of the farmers market.

He also said that under the 10th Malaysia Plan, FAMA also plans to create 100 farmers markets annually.

Apart from that, he said, FAMA's programme involves a plan to increase the number of farmers market entrepreneurs from 15,000 in the 9th Malaysia Plan to 30,000 in the 10th.

At the Farmers Market Convention, a mobile farmers market using a van or caravan -- a brainchild of FAMA -- was also introduced.

Badruddin said the aim of the caravan is to enable it to move from one farmers market location to another as well as other places to market agricutural produce directly to consumers.

The Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries, Datuk Seri Noh Hj Omar in his speech at the Convention said in the Budget 2010 tabled recently, an allocation of RM6 billion had been announced to develop the agricultural sector.

"One of the initiatives to be implemented includes an incubator programme to train and lead youths as well as graduates to become successful agricultural entrepreneurs," he said.

This programme, Noh explained,will be undertaken through the cooperation between his ministry, the Ministry of Youth and Sports,Universiti Putra Malaysia, Agro Bank and the regional Development Corridors.

-- BERNAMA