GOVT TO CONTINUE INVESTING IN FOOD PRODUCTION

KOTA KINABALU (Malaysia), Feb 17 (Bernama) -- The government will continue
investing in agriculture to increase food production despite the global economic
crisis, to ensure national self-sufficiency level (SSL) targets for various
commodities are attained.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Dr Maximus Ongkili said as far
as Malaysia was concerned, there would not be a food crisis in this country and
production was expected to be increased using the approach of 'going back to
basics' namely the application of science and technology.

"In terms of food production despite the financial crisis, government
investment in agriculture will continue to be increased rather than reduced.

"With the support of technology, we are confident we can be self-sufficient
or that our progress in this direction would not be less than in the past," he
told reporters at the Conference on Global Food Security: The Role of Science
and Technology here, Tuesday.

Last week, Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Rohani Karim
said rice production in Malaysia was targeted to reach a SSL of 86 per cent next
year under the National Food Security Policy.

The country's rice SSL was 73 per cent last year, and Rohani said the
ministry had been allocated RM3 billion to implement the policy by increasing
the production of rice.

Maximus said the SSL target for rice, which is the country's staple
commodity, continued to be a challenge but expressed his confidence it could be
achieved with science and technology playing a role, while at the same time the
country should also diversify to other food sources besides rice.

Asked how climate change would effect global food production, Maximus said
this was where precision farming would come into place where technology can
combine all factors like meteorology, and weather can be forecast in planning
crop planting.

East Malaysia state of Sabah's Chief Minister Musa Aman opened the
conference.
-- BERNAMA