KPKM Studying Need To Set Up Seed Technical Committee

GEORGE TOWN, April 14 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) is studying the need to establish a Seed Technical Committee as a regulatory body to ensure the country's seed standards meet the requirements of the local and export seed markets.

In a statement today, the ministry said this move is one of the efforts to address the high dependence on imported seeds.

The statement said its minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, chaired the National Seed Council (MBN) Meeting Number 1 Year 2026 at MARDI Seberang Perai, Penang, involving representatives from the ministry, government agencies, and seed and breed industry experts from the private sector.

Additionally, the meeting also discussed the direction for strengthening the ruminant industry in Malaysia, including goat and cattle commodities, to achieve high productivity through the production of high-quality breeds and the implementation of strategic cooperation between the government and the private sector.

"The National Seed Hub initiative aims to strengthen the agenda of developing local seed and breed supplies as a strategic step to ensure the stability of supply and the country's food security.

"The national preparedness agenda to ensure seed supply is seen as positive and timely, especially following the global energy crisis that has put significant pressure and implications on the food supply chain, particularly in fisheries, crops and livestock," according to the statement.

The statement also said the minister paid a visit to Institut Pertanian Bumbong Lima (IPBL) as a sign of the government’s commitment to strengthening human capital development and attracting the interest of young people to venture into the agricultural sector.

IPBL is one of the six main agricultural training institutes in the country, offering the Agricultural Certificate Programme and the Malaysian Skills Certificate Programme (SKM). To date, IPBL has produced a total of 3,430 skilled graduates under the Agricultural Certificate Programme and 148 graduates under the SKM Programme.

Through the training programme offered, IPBL has produced graduates who are knowledgeable and skilled in the field of agriculture, thereby supporting efforts to improve the quality of local seeds and breeds.

The development of the seed and breeding industry through strategic cooperation between the government and the private sector also contributes to the increased competitiveness of the agri-food sector.

"Therefore, continuous efforts in empowering local seeds and breeds are the key to achieving food security and sustainable agricultural development so that the goal of reducing seed imports by 30 per cent by 2040 can be successfully achieved," he added.

--BERNAMA