Govt forms advisory board to tackle overdependence on imported seeds
In a Facebook post, Mohamad said other important decisions included appointing the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) as the lead agency for the National Seed Hub; developing pure lines of local broiler and layer chickens; and commercialising the 'Ayam Saga' breed.
The meeting also discussed the Mafriwal 2.0 dairy cattle breed recovery programme, as well as freshwater prawn seed production under the Nucleus Breeding Centre (NBC) and the Shrimp Broodstock Multiplication Centre (BMC).
"Malaysia still depends heavily on imported seeds, including 90 per cent of vegetable seeds and RM2.7 million worth of watermelon seeds. This is a major challenge we must address together for the future of national food security.
"This seed security agenda is not only crucial for the agri-food industry, but also forms the backbone of national sovereignty and security. We need to produce high-quality, resilient local seeds that can meet the needs of our people," he said.
He added that the implementation of the National Seed Security Agenda could help Malaysia achieve self-sufficiency in the local seed sector.
"This isn't just about agriculture; it's about sovereignty and the future of the nation," he said.
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