4IR TOWARD NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY

The domain of national food security is a key pillar in the overall strategy of national development due to its reciprocal relationships with other socio-economic fields.

- WIRA RAIS HUSIN MOHAMMED ARIFF

An effective national food security strategy will create availability and affordability, and therefore help save on household expenses. On the government side, most of the country’s allocations can be channeled to other deserving sectors.

We understand that one of the unique features of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (4IR) is the achievable efficiencies for the entire industry. The agricultural industry is among the sectors that will benefit greatly from 4IR. Through the power of 4IR, the agricultiural industry will manage and provide food security assurance to people in a more organised manner while reducing the pressure on various resources.

Some aspects of technology have now become commonplace in the agricultural sector and has evolved in a short period due to the incoming updates to 4IR technology. This has caused difficulties in adapting, among in early generation farmers as they had already been accustomed to traditional farming methods including having extensive farms and utilising high levels of labor.

4IR is regarded an urgency for food safety. Therefore, it is not surprising that leading countries in the field of food security such as Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, Singapore and South Korea have long increased their technological capabilities to serve their people through their respective versions of “Society 5.0”. This includes the ability to provide food sources to its people.