KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia needs to catch up with China, Vietnam and the Philippines in hybrid rice technology as it seeks to increase domestic rice production and strengthen food security, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said.
He stressed that greater investment in agricultural research and modern farming methods was essential to improving padi yields without increasing the area under cultivation.
“We know that our hybrid rice technology is still far behind countries such as China, Vietnam and the Philippines,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.
READ MORE: States urged to gazette padi areas as Malaysia’s rice self-sufficiency falls
“The aim is to achieve higher yields from the same area of land,” he said, adding that research conducted by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) and universities would be important in advancing the sector.
Mohamad said Budget 2027 included additional allocations for institutions involved in agricultural research, but did not specify the amount.
He was responding to Sekijang MP Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa, who asked whether the ministry intended to increase funding for research agencies such as MARDI to bolster national food security.
Mohamad also cautioned that geopolitical instability and rising transportation costs could affect Malaysia’s ability to secure affordable food imports, including rice and corn.
“We are currently enjoying relatively cheap imported rice, but how long can that continue if transportation costs keep increasing?” he asked.
He urged farmers to adopt modern agricultural technologies, including drones, to improve productivity and reduce reliance on conventional farming practices.
However, he acknowledged that the initial cost of adopting such technologies could be prohibitive for smallholders, particularly those cultivating only one or two acres.
He said local research could help lower the cost of drone technology, while farmers’ organisations could purchase equipment for shared use to make it more accessible.
Mohamad cited examples of farmers’ organisations using RM100,000 in government assistance to buy drones and provide related services to their members.
He described the approach as a practical long-term option for smaller farms, adding that closer cooperation among researchers, farmers and government agencies was crucial to strengthening Malaysia’s food security amid global uncertainty.