FOOD SECURITY - A NATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY OF REGIONAL CONCERN: Malaysia's Case

Like in other countries, food security calls for strong emphasis in national development policy. Malaysia is still insufficient in many of the major food items. Malaysia relies on its agriculture sector (including fisheries) for basic food production and supply. However, the overall share of the sector to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) had been declining since 1970, mainly caused by rapid economic transformation towards industrialization. Thus, despite various policies designed and implemented to achieve food security, the country has not been able to meet its self-sufficiency level in basic food items like rice (staple food), meat and other livestock products, vegetables, and fruits. Deficits in food items are being compensated for through imports of these products. Malaysia’s annual food import bills are on the rise, especially during the recent global rises in food prices. Accessibility to food, especially by the vulnerable groups, strongly connotes a coherent linkage between food security and poverty. While the national poverty rate is extremely low by historical standards ‐ less than 5% in 2007, there are still substantial spatial and community variations. These have important implications on food security situation in the country, in terms of economic accessibility to food, when considering current increasing trend of food prices. Malaysia is enhancing rural development programmes to further raise the incomes of impoverished rural agricultural communities. Food is every individual’s lifeline. Ensuring food security is everyone’s responsibility. It is the obligation of every household to secure enough food for every member of the family. At the national level, the Government needs to ensure a secure and safe food supply to the nation through the formulation of related policies and efficient implementation by relevant agencies. At the same time, the roles of the food producers, distributors and processors are by no means dispensable. Government policies should be oriented towards ensuring that producers and processors produce enough and safe food. Ensuring food security is also a regional and global concern. The important role of food security in keeping the regional and global stability and prosperity is well recognized. Thus, the major objective of the paper is basically: (i) to highlight the current food security situation in Malaysia; (ii) to reflect on the extent of national poverty situation and its impact on ensuring food security and sustainable development; and (iii) to inform on Malaysia’s involvement in regional cooperation plans on food security.