Veterinary extension officers key to Malaysia’s food security, says deputy minister

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 15 — Veterinary extension officers play a crucial role in bridging government policies, the expertise of the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) and the farming community to boost livestock productivity and strengthen national food security.

Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin said the effectiveness of veterinary extension services should be measured by improvements at farm level, including lower mortality rates among young livestock, increased milk yields and animal weights, and higher incomes for farmers.

“Policies and targets will only yield results when they reach livestock farmers in the form of the right knowledge and practices.

“Therefore, Scheduled Planned Visits and Gross Margin Analysis must be implemented systematically to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions using concrete data and evidence,” he said when officiating the 2026 Veterinary Extension Convention here today.

Themed “Veterinary Extension: A Driver for Productivity and Food Security”, the convention was also attended by Veterinary Services Department director-general Datuk Dr Mohd Noor Hisham Mohd Haron.

Chan said Malaysia’s import dependency rate for beef and buffalo meat stood at 82.6 per cent in 2025, while the rate for goat and sheep meat was 90.7 per cent.

To address this dependency, he said the ministry was targeting domestic production of about 50,000 metric tonnes of beef and buffalo meat this year, with the self-sufficiency ratio (SSR) projected to increase to 18 per cent.

He said the target was supported by 68 satellite farms across seven states, which had produced more than 45,000 head of livestock.

“This strategic direction is reinforced by the National Food Security Policy 2030 (DKMN 2030), which outlines efforts to strengthen the livestock breeding industry, maximise domestic ruminant and dairy production, and bolster extension services as a catalyst for human capital development,” he said.

Chan also outlined three key priorities for the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security: data-driven advisory services, better coordination of assistance among agencies, and building farmers’ trust through consistent guidance and follow-ups.

At the event, he launched three DVS guidebooks on good animal husbandry practices covering dairy cattle, goats and sheep, and feedlot cattle.

“Congratulations to the DVS on these publications. I hope the guidelines will be fully utilised for training and field guidance rather than merely serving as shelf decoration,” he said.

Chan also presented Perak DVS with the Overall Champion award for Best Extension Services, which came with RM500 in cash and a certificate of appreciation.

This year, 78 nominations were received across eight competition categories covering various aspects of veterinary extension services and projects.

The categories included Best State Veterinary Service, Best District Veterinary Service, Best Livestock-Based Industry Development Project, Best Veterinary Extension Project, Best Veterinary Extension Project Poster, Best Veterinary Extension Project Video Presentation, Best Veterinary Extension Mentor/Officer and Best VetEC (Veterinary Extension Centre) Operation. — Bernama