KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 — The government is strengthening various mitigation measures to reduce the impact of the El Nino phenomenon on the agro-food sector, including ensuring more efficient water resource management, expanding the use of smart irrigation technology and providing assistance to affected farmers and rice farmers.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said among the measures implemented were continuous monitoring of water levels in dams and catchment areas, integrated water resource management, the use of smart irrigation monitoring systems and drip irrigation systems to optimise water use.

He said efforts to increase the resilience of the padI sector were also being strengthened through research and development of new, more drought-resistant padI varieties by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi), in addition to cloud seeding operations carried out when weather conditions permitted.

“The Food Security Meeting chaired by the Prime Minister also asked Mardi to further enhance its research to produce new varieties,” he said during Ministerial Question Time at the Dewan Rakyat today.

Responding to a question from Bakri Jamaluddin (PN-Tangga Batu) regarding the government’s preparations in facing Super El Nino which will affect food supplies and rice imports, Mohamad said the government always maintains rice supply stocks for a period of about six months in addition to continuing imports as needed.

He said the government also provides protection and assistance schemes for rice farmers affected by disasters including drought.

According to Mohamad, for the first phase of assistance, a total of RM45.24 million has been channeled to 8,224 rice farmers since 2024, while until June 30, 2026, a total of RM38.53 million has been distributed to 55,058 rice farmers involving 16,933 hectares of areas affected by drought in the north and east of the Peninsula.

He said the government is also encouraging the development of large-scale rice fields including in Sarawak, Pahang and several other states to increase the country’s rice production, in addition to expanding controlled environment agricultural practices to reduce the impact of weather changes on crops and the livestock sector.

Commenting on a supplementary question from Azli Yusof (PH-Shah Alam) on the dumping of durians which has caused prices to drop, Mohamad said the government would continue to strengthen efforts to expand export markets, especially to China, through negotiations to facilitate logistics and customs clearance for fresh fruit and frozen products.

“Our durians in China are currently mostly in big cities, while the small towns there have a much larger market potential,” he said, adding that the government hoped that the expansion of exports could help stabilise prices and increase the income of local entrepreneurs. — Bernama