KUCHING: The agricultural sector in Sarawak needs to be more ‘sexy’ in order to attract the younger generation to become involved.
Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development (MFICORD) Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said the ministry is committed to get them to be involved in the agricultural sector through the introduction of modern technology in farming.
“In order for us to entice the young one… Since the agriculture sector is not that ‘sexy’, we need to develop the interest among the young ones and create something new.
“We also need to change the people’s mindset as the agriculture sector is no longer about subsistence farming,” he said during the first International Conference on Biotechnology, Smart Farming, and Entrepreneurship for Food Security (BioSFE) 2023 at Riverside Majestic Hotel here today.
“I quote from what the Premier said before, ‘Let the people not be called farmers but instead they are to be looked up as farm managers’,” he said.
Rundi added the way forward for the agriculture sector is to adopt new technology, Internet of Things (IoT) to increase production, productivity, and quality of food products especially when Sarawak’s aims to become a food net exporter by 2030.
“On the part of the government, we must be able to create a complete supply chain covering upstream and downstream activities. Only by doing so, we are able to help the farming community,” he said.
He also said the state government is looking at increasing the income of the farming and fishing community.
“In order to do so, we are looking at engaging with experts, technology and other countries, as closer to us such as Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam had surged ahead successfully by adopting the latest technology.
“So, we are very serious and looking at trying to change or transform the way we do agriculture activities,” he said.
He also reminded that they shall not be business as usual for the Department of Agriculture.
“Rather than imparting knowledge and technology, they (officers) must also go to the ground and try to see for themselves what types of assistance are needed by the farming community,” he said.
Commenting on the conference, he said the ministry will take note and carry out a follow-up with what has been deliberated and look at what can be improved for the state’s agriculture sector.
