States will officially declare agricultural land as reserves as part of national food security efforts, says PM

KUALA LUMPUR (June 28): Food security committees at state and district levels will be set up to ensure that federal and state governments can implement the National Food Security Policy Action Plan 2021- 2025 synergistically, said Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The prime minister said this was decided in a meeting he chaired on Tuesday (June 28) with Menteris Besar and chief ministers, which was also attended by relevant ministers.

Ismail Sabri said the meeting underscored the need for enhanced cooperation between the federal government and state governments to improve food supply security in the country, which faces various challenges due to current global developments.

State governments have also agreed to implement seven initiatives to this end, he said in a statement.

These include increasing the agricultural area, especially state-owned land, by classifying the agricultural land as reserves under Article 62 of the National Land Code (KTN), and then leasing it into under Article 63 of the KTN for periods of at least 10 to 21 years. .

“Apart from this, strengthen the allocation of state land to agriculture-related state subsidiaries, which will then lease the land to agricultural entrepreneurs for a period of 30 years.

“State authorities may also, subject to state land procedures, approve a Temporary Occupancy License (TOL) of at least three years, which may be renewed,” he added.

The Prime Minister said other initiatives included maintaining the zoning of padi fields, publishing the Permanent Food Production Park (TKPM) and developing the abandoned and yet to be developed TKPM, as well as maintaining the publication of the existing Aquaculture Industry Zone (AIZ) and publication of ZIAs. which have not yet been published.

Apart from this, state governments have agreed to coordinate with local authorities to facilitate the conditions and approval process for planning consent for the development of enclosed poultry house systems and other agribusinesses, it said. -he declares.

“State governments have also agreed to establish a District Farmland Development Committee to facilitate the development of undeveloped private farmland and to set lower withdrawal rates for freshwater and saltwater resources in the agri-food sector,” he said.

Ismail Sabri said that among the challenges faced in the national food supply security issue were an increase in the price of agricultural inputs like grain maize and fertilizers, rising logistics costs and extreme weather conditions that caused frequent floods and droughts that disrupted the food production cycle.

He said the federal government has also agreed to consider a proposal to reduce or eliminate the agribusiness tax.

“The Ministry of Finance will give more details,” he said.