Malaysia’s journey towards sustainable agricommodity

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

Understanding the global demand for sustainable Agricommodities, the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC), as the Platinum Premier Partner for Malaysia Pavilion in Dubai 2020 Expo, is showcasing Malaysia’s journey, efforts, and initiatives towards sustainable agricommodity sector.

The Agricommodity sector is one of Malaysia’s main economic driver, contributing significantly to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP), export earnings, jobs and business opportunities, including elevating the standard of living of smallholders in the country. For many years, the Agricommodity sector has been Malaysia’s vital instrument in reducing poverty in Malaysia.

Through the specially designed Sustainable Agricommodity Week trade and business programme and line-up of events, the MPIC hopes to promote the agricommodities of Malaysia and shed some light on how the agricommodities integrate the objectives of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals into plantation policies, development and management.

For Week 17, MPIC is hosting the Sustainable Agricommodity Week (Non-Food Agricommodities), running from 23rd January to 29th January 2022, as part of the thematic week trade and   business programmes organised by Malaysia Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.

The programme was launched by The Honourable Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Malaysia, Datuk Hajah Zuraida Kamaruddin. The week focuses on non-food agricultural commodities of Malaysia namely, rubber, timber and kenaf.

Among the highlights of the week are the launching of the Malaysian Rubber Products Virtual Showcase (MaRViS), an online platform that facilitates online business engagements between international buyers and Malaysian rubber product manufacturers by Malaysian Rubber Council, TimbeReality, a dedicated VR platform that displays Malaysian-made timber and furniture products by Malaysian  Timber Council, The Rubber Forum 2022 organised by Malaysian Rubber Board and Malaysia Wood Expo 2022 by the Malaysian Timber Board. The Honourable Minister will also witness the signing  of four Memorandum of Understandings, three from the timber sector and one from the Kenaf sector.

MPIC and its agencies have also lined up exciting activities for visitors to the Malaysia Pavilion, such as interactive latex painting arts, agarwood product demonstrations, rubber clay modelling, kenaf demonstration, as well as special talks on Malaysia kenaf, timber and Malaysian sustainable timber certification.

“Despite the rough economic climate worldwide, Malaysia’s Agricommodity trade continues to perform reasonably well. From January to November 2021, the Agricommodity sector has contributed total export revenue of RM189.5 billion to the Malaysian economy. This value has exceeded Malaysia’s total export revenue  for 2020 of RM152 billion. Therefore, MPIC will continue to raise more awareness, build bridges, and share the importance of its sustainable agricommodities efforts through Expo 2020 Dubai,” said the Minister.

Malaysia’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai is spearheaded by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation  (MOSTI) with Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation as implementing agency.