KUCHING: The belief that people working in agriculture are still considered poor needs to change to encourage the younger generation to take an interest in the field.
According to State Education Director Datuk Dr Azhar Ahmad, the agricultural sector now uses very advanced technology.
In fact, he said that agriculture is one of the most important sectors, especially as the world faces food security issues.
“In the past, people believed that the agricultural sector and those involved, such as farmers and planters, were part of the poor.
“Therefore, this mindset must be changed. For example, in Japan, farmers and planters hold the highest economic status.
“That’s why our perspective on them needs to change. Moreover, we have technology that can produce food, and we have plenty of land in this state,” he said in an interview with Sarawak Tribune in conjunction with his retirement at his office today (Nov 14).
He also emphasised the importance of integrating education into the agricultural sector.
“This is to ensure that students understand that this sector is not only interesting but can also generate a high income,” he added.
