PORT DICKSON: The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry intends to turn agribusiness into a more attractive career choice.
Deputy Minister Chan Foong Hin said this would create an interest in farming among the younger generation.
"Among the directions this year is to rejuvenate the agricultural sector because we are now experiencing a challenge where padi farmers are getting older. Therefore, to attract the interest of young people in this field, we should encourage the use of modern technology," he said after officiating at the National Agricultural and Food Engineering Convention (NAFEC) 2023 organised by the Malaysian Society of Agricultural and Food Engineers and Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority today.
He said, therefore, the ministry was undertaking various efforts, including organising conventions such as NAFEC, Malaysian Agriculture, Horticulture and Agro Tourism Exhibition and Young Agropreneur Tour, and raising awareness of low-interest loans.
Chan said NAFEC could be used as a platform to raise awareness, information, technology and expertise to the community and support the government's policy in making the agrofood sector a major contributor to the gross domestic product.
He said it was also in line with the main thrust of the National Agrofood Policy 2021-2030, which emphasised the importance of applying the Fourth Industrial Revolution technology through modernisation and smart agriculture to increase productivity.
NAFEC is an initiative by various agencies and industry players to discuss the latest technology, needs and problems of the agriculture and food industries. Bernama