SIBU: At a time when prices are rising and the cost of living continues to weigh heavily on ordinary citizens, the call by Agriculture Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, for “every household to grow their own vegetables” is raising eyebrows.
Bawang Assan assemblyman, Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh, said it may sound simple and even well-intentioned – but it reveals a troubling mindset: one that shifts responsibility from the government to the people.
“When a nation faces serious challenges in food security and agricultural sustainability, what is needed is coherent, structural policy – not slogans that reduce a complex issue to backyard gardening.
“What is the reality on the ground? Our farmers, especially vegetable growers, are being squeezed from all sides,” he said in a press statement today.
Wong, who is also Progressive Democratic Party’s (PDP) Senior Vice-President, said rising diesel prices have increased transportation and mechanisation costs.
He stated that prices of fertilisers and pesticides have surged in recent months, pushing production costs sharply higher.
At the same time, an influx of cheaper imported vegetables is flooding the market, suppressing local prices and eroding already thin profit margins, he said, adding that farmers are working harder, yet earning less.
Worse still, the playing field is not level, he said, as locally produced vegetables are subject to strict inspections and quality controls to ensure food safety.
However, he claimed, some imported vegetables do not appear to face equally rigorous standards, and this imbalance places local farmers at a clear disadvantage – higher costs, stricter compliance, yet weaker market positioning.
In such a context, he said, urging people to “grow their own food” is not a solution – it is a distraction.
Urban households lack the space, time and technical know-how to produce food at scale.
Even if widely adopted, he stated, such efforts cannot replace a professional, organised agricultural system. Food security cannot be built on balcony gardens.
The issue, therefore, he pointed out, is not what the people should do but what the government must do.
“First, immediate relief measures are essential, with subsidies for diesel, fertilisers and agricultural inputs must be strengthened without delay. Without cost relief, farmers will continue to struggle, regardless of rhetoric.
“Second, stricter regulation of imported vegetables is imperative. All imports must be subject to the same inspection and safety standards as local produce. Food safety cannot have double standards, and neither should market competition.
“Third, the government must actively build a stable market for local produce. The armed forces, hospitals, schools and all government institutions should prioritise the procurement of locally grown vegetables.
“Through institutional purchasing, the state can create consistent demand, support farmers’ incomes, and reduce reliance on imports. This is not merely an economic policy – it is a strategic necessity.
“Fourth, long-term investment in agricultural modernisation is critical. Advancing technology adoption, strengthening cold-chain logistics, and reforming supply chains are key to improving competitiveness.
“Without structural reform, local agriculture will remain trapped in a cycle of low-value competition,” he stressed.
Food is the first necessity of the people, said Wong, adding, behind every meal lies the livelihood of farmers and the security of the nation.
He said if farmers are allowed to fail today, the country will pay a far higher price tomorrow through increased dependence on external supply, and in an era of global uncertainty, food security is not optional but fundamental.
According to him, the real question is not whether people should grow vegetables, but whether the government is prepared to take responsibility, confront reality, and act decisively.
“Shifting responsibility to the people is easy. Safeguarding farmers and securing the nation’s food supply – that is the true test of governance.
“If policy remains at the level of slogans, then ‘grow your own food’ will not be remembered as a solution but as a failure of leadership,” Wong added.
