Malaysia explores cultivated meat to secure future food supply

MALAYSIA – Malaysia is embarking on a significant initiative to explore the potential of cultivated meat and alternative proteins as sustainable solutions to current agricultural practices. 

This research endeavor is spearheaded by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, and the National Institutes of Biotechnology Malaysia, in collaboration with universities conducting feasibility studies.

The primary goal of this initiative is to enhance Malaysia’s food security and protect its agricultural sector from the adverse effects of climate change. 

Studies indicate that grain yields can decrease by up to 10% with each 1°C increase in temperature once the threshold of 25°C is surpassed. 

Recently, the average temperature in Malaysia has been around 27.5°C, underscoring the urgency of finding resilient food production methods.

This strategic decision was formalized during a recent cabinet committee meeting focused on the National Food Security Policy. 

Malaysia joins a growing list of South and Southeast Asian nations that are bolstering their policies and infrastructure to support the development of cultivated meat. 

For instance, South Korea has set up a regulatory approval framework and created a special zone for startups in the sector. 

Similarly, India is establishing its regulatory framework and partnering with local startups to advance cultivated seafood. 

Thailand, through a partnership with Israel’s Aleph Farms, is on track to open its first cultivated meat facility, while Singapore continues to lead with its Food Tech Innovation Centre and a recent food license granted to ScaleUp Bio, a fermentation contract manufacturer.

Central to Malaysia’s efforts is the Malaysia National Biotechnology Policy 2.0 for 2022-2030. This policy outlines a vision to create an ecosystem for cultivated meat and fish using cutting-edge technologies.

 According to Cell AgriTech, Malaysia’s pioneering cultivated meat startup, the policy includes a series of short-, medium-, and long-term objectives. 

These goals encompass the development of university programs to cultivate specialized talent, the establishment of a cellular agriculture association to promote collaboration and knowledge exchange, the creation of halal standards for cultivated proteins, and the setup of cell and seed repositories.

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