KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has shared its experience in irrigation and drainage management with Bahrain, expressing hope for collaboration on water recycling technology that could help reduce agricultural production costs, said the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry.

In a statement today, the ministry said Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu conveyed this during a courtesy call by Bahrain's Ambassador to Malaysia Dr Waleed Khalifa Almanea at Menara Lembaga Pertubuhan Peladang (LPP) here on Oct 28.

"The ministry welcomes technical collaboration in agricultural research and development (R&D) between the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) and Bahrain's research institutions as an initiative to strengthen food security.

"In addition, Malaysia shared its target of increasing aquaculture production from 40 per cent to 60 per cent and expressed intention to learn technology and expertise from Bahrain's experience in conducting large-scale sea aquaculture," according to the statement.

The ministry said the two countries could explore cooperation to boost local aquaculture activities in Malaysian waters.

In the meeting, the ministry said that the two leaders had discussed the potential for bilateral cooperation, focusing on enhancing market access for Malaysian products in Bahrain and exploring opportunities within Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, the ministry said its Deputy Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup received a courtesy call from Director General of New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries Ray Smith on Oct 29 at Menara LPP.

According to the ministry, during the meeting, the two leaders discussed follow-up actions concerning the agricultural sector, particularly cooperation in agricultural trade and food security, which had been raised by New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon during his official visit to Malaysia last September.

"Among the follow-up actions being implemented are efforts to finalise the procedures for exporting pineapples to New Zealand, as well as discussions aimed at increasing market access for Malaysian products, including edible bird's nest, animal feed, and fresh durian," the statement said.

The statement also said that Arthur welcomed the proposal for technical cooperation in the field of R&D between MARDI and research institutions in New Zealand.

New Zealand is one of Malaysia's key trading partners, with total agricultural trade between the two nations amounting to RM5 billion last year.

The collaboration in the agricultural sector between the two countries is reinforced through bilateral and regional agreements, such as the Malaysia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (MNZFTA), the ASEAN-Australia New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/11/1129423/malaysia-bahrain-explore-cooperation-agricultural-technology