KUALA LUMPUR: The National Farmers Organisation (Nafas), which celebrated its 50th anniversary on Wednesday (March 30), has set five key focus areas to ensure it remains relevant as it moves towards 2030.

       Nafas chairman Datuk Zamri Yaakob said the focus areas were development of the padi and rice industry; marketing of fertiliser and chemical inputs; becoming a major player in the poultry industry; seeking new sources of wealth; and ensuring the prosperity of the farming households.

       "Nafas needs to be better prepared to face challenges and look at future needs, as well as to be dynamic and productive in managing issues and form an independent and prosperous farming community," he said at the launch of Nafas' 50th Golden Jubilee celebration here Wednesday.

       On the development of the padi and rice industry, Zamri said Nafas, together with the relevant government agencies and partner companies, was focusing on the development, production and commercialisation of Nafas hybrid padi seeds, with the first planting season expected next year.

       "The objective of this programme is to provide hybrid rice seeds as an alternative for farmers, apart from the rice seeds that are available in the market.

       "A study carried out proved the hybrid rice seeds have higher yield of up to 50% per hectare," he said.

       He said Nafas was also focusing on research and development, as well as manufacturing and marketing of fertiliser and pesticide as a source of new income.

       On becoming a major player in the poultry industry, Zambri said, Nafas was now focused on completing the chicken value chain.

       He said the organisation also emphasised the development of new agricultural products, such as MD2 pineapple and Musang King durian as a new source of income.

       According to Zamri, there were 14 state farmers’ organisations and 279 area farmers' organisations, with almost a million members nationwide.

       "In business, there is loss and profit. What is important is we must have a plan that helps track the movement in the business and we should not be complacent and be satisfied being in the comfort zone,” he added.

       Zamri said Nafas had been able to expand its business sector through some 20 subsidiaries, including six wholly-owned subsidiaries.

       He said for the period between 2010 and 2019, Nafas had distributed dividends amounting to RM83.75mil to shareholders.

       Nafas, established on March 31, 1972, was mooted by second prime minister, the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, and was then known as the National Farmers Association.

       It was registered under the Farmers Associations Act 1967 and served as the parent body to farmers' associations in the country.

       With changing times and to ensure progress for farmers, the farmers' associations throughout the country were merged into the area farmers' organisations, which are registered under the Farmers' Organisation Act 1973.

       Following changes at the area and state levels, the National Farmers Association was re-registered as Nafas in 1984. - Bernama