chapter 6 - Malaysia Productivity Corporation ( MPC)

sector will be developed to focus on ensuring
sufficient food supply, improving food processing,
and increasing high value agricultural exports. This
is in line with the Agriculture NKEA of the ETP, where
16 EPPs have been identified to have high growth
potential to kick-start and catalyse the growth of
the sector, including strategic commodities to
ensure food security. Focus on this high growth
potential industries namely, aquaculture, seaweed
farming, swiftlet nests, herbal products, fruits and
vegetables, and premium processed food will
enable Malaysia to tap into the rapidly expanding
global market for these products, while the paddy
and livestock EPPs will aid in ensuring national
food security.
Of significance is the reversal of the roles played
by the public and private sectors. The Government
had previously played a bigger role in terms of
public sector funding to incentivise the sector,
but such efforts were largely unsustainable. Under
the Agriculture NKEA, the private sector will take
the lead in linking small farmers to value chains
Higher yield of farm output.
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as contract farmers, giving the latter access to
financing, processing facilities, and markets, to
move them up the value chain.
The Government’s role as a facilitator for change
cannot be underscored. The EPPs spell out
the facilitating role of Government in order to
overcome the stumbling blocks that are hindering
the growth of the industry, from funding costly
pre-clinical and clinical trials for herbal botanicals,
securing intellectual property rights, implementing
traceability systems, reviewing acts and regulations,
building cold chain facilities to facilitate export
of fruits, vegetables and aquaculture products.
Another important role is that of implementation
monitoring and evaluation to ensure that the EPPs
are on track.
The geographical distribution of the projects
will promote balanced growth and inclusive
development as outlined in the New Economic
Model to enable all communities to benefit from
wealth creation of this sector.
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