INTERVENTION (3C) : INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE WITH SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO FOOD, 26 OCTOBER 2021

STATEMENT BY

MR. LUTFI SHEIKH GHAZALI

LONG TERM DELEGATE TO THE 76^TH UNGA,

PERMANENT MISSION OF MALAYSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS

AT THE INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE SESSION WITH

MR. MICHAEL FAKHRI,

SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO FOOD,

26 OCTOBER 2021, NEW YORK

Thank you Mdm Vice Chair.

I would like to thank the Special Rapporteur for his report and the briefing.

Mdm. Vice Chair,

2.         Even today, we continue to face the impacts brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic. My government, like the rest of the world, continues to grapple with the multi-dimensional challenges of the pandemic to manage the situation, including the issue of food security.

3.         Notwithstanding the ongoing challenges, Malaysia remains committed to achieving sustainable food systems to ensure the right to food. On our part, Malaysia has implemented the National Agrofood Policy (2011-2020), which aimed at transforming the agrofood industry into a competitive and sustainable sector in its efforts to ensure adequate food supply and safe for consumption.

4.         Moving forward, Malaysia is currently in the final stage of formulating the National Agrofood Policy 2.0 (NAP 2.0) 2021-2030 that aims to outline policy for the agrofood industry. The main focus of NAP 2.0 includes:

1. Embracing Modernisation and Smart Agriculture;
2. Strengthening domestic market and create/produce export-oriented products;
3. Building talent that meets demand of the industry;
4. Advancing towards sustainable agriculture practices and food systems; and
5. Creating a conducive business ecosystem and a robust institutional framework.

5.         Malaysia is committed to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture, in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG Goal 2). We believe, there are various measures that we could adopt to ensure the long-term viability of food systems. This includes empowering food producers with expertise and innovative technologies that will assist them to better manage their food production activities.

6.         Nationally, we have undertaken strategic steps, such as services to boost production, efficient post-harvest management, and to increase market access particularly for smallholder farmers and food producers that account for nearly 76% of the industry's players in Malaysia.

Mdm. Vice Chair,

7.         Malaysia believes that the achievement of all 17 SDGs relies on the successful transformation of food systems, by fortifying the roles of existing institutions and multi-stakeholders. Malaysia hopes that the international community will continue to find more effective ways to increase the agricultural investment in order to boost sustainable global agricultural productivity to meet the growing needs of the global population.

8.       One question that my delegation has, in your view, has the pandemic exposed greater structural inequities within international governance mechanisms that further the gap on food security, and if so, how do we address this effectively moving forward?