PUTRAJAYA: The government has stressed the urgent need to transform the agriculture and agrofood sector through the adoption of modern and smart technologies such as automation, mechanisation, the Internet of Things (IoT) and biotechnology to improve productivity and competitiveness.
Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said this effort was necessary in view of the significant gap between agrofood imports and exports, with the sector still recording a high trade deficit of RM39.4 billion.
“The agrofood sector plays a key role in the country’s economic and social development, recording a GDP growth rate of 4.19 per cent and contributing 11.52 per cent to the national GDP in 2024,” he said when opening the 2025 National Agricultural and Food Engineering Convention (NAFEC) here today.
The statement was issued by the Department of Fisheries (DOF), the organiser of NAFEC 2025, in collaboration with the Malaysian Society of Agricultural and Food Engineers. Themed “Agro Technology as the Driver of National Food Production”, the two-day convention began yesterday.
Arthur also said the government remains committed to strengthening national food security through strategic policies such as the National Food Security Action Plan 2021–2025 and key programmes under the 12th Malaysia Plan.
He added that the direction will be continued under the 13th Malaysia Plan, with a focus on high-growth, high-value agricultural sectors in line with the MADANI economic agenda.
He also praised the aquaculture subsector for achieving a 90 per cent self-sufficiency level in 2024, attributing the success to initiatives such as the Aquaculture Quickwin and the Integrated Aquaculture Development Programme, along with the use of modern farming systems like Recirculating Aquaculture System, biofloc, IoT, and high-quality broodstock.
At the event, seven recipients of the MSAE Awards 2025 were honoured for their significant contributions to agricultural and food engineering.
In addition, the MSAE Best Thesis Award 2024 was presented to students from Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Sabah and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in recognition of their outstanding research in agricultural and food sciences, technology and engineering.
NAFEC brought together over 180 industry players, researchers, policymakers and academics to discuss the direction of technology and innovation in ensuring sustainable and resilient national food security.
It also served as a strategic platform to strengthen collaboration between the public and private sectors and higher education institutions in advancing agricultural and food engineering.
