TECHNOLOGY BOOSTS FARMERS' INCOME AND PRODUCTIVITY - ARTHUR

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 (Bernama) -- The exploration and use of technology in the agricultural sector have shown positive developments, with an increase in farmers' incomes and a reduction in operating costs, said Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup.

He cited the ministry's collaboration programme with the Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) through Digital Agriculture Technology (Digital AgTech), which increased farmers' incomes by up to 20 per cent through the use of technology and digital.

"In addition, these farmers increased their productivity rate by up to 20 per cent and reduced operating costs by up to 30 per cent," he said during the question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

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He was replying to a supplementary question from Wong Shu Qi (PH-Kluang), who asked about the ministry's mechanism for assessing the effectiveness of automation programmes or initiatives in the agriculture sector.

To Wong's original question on the government's efforts to reduce dependence on foreign workers in the agricultural sector, Arthur said this year, the government allocated RM20 million under the Agro-food Mechanisation and Automation Programme to increase the use of mechanisation and automation technology.

"The use of modern technology such as smart farming systems, drones and automation in farm work to increase efficiency and reduce the need for physical manpower, including the use of soil parameter monitoring sensors, automatic irrigation and agricultural yield monitoring using big data," he said.

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In addition, he said the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) provides Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes in the agriculture sector capable of producing skilled workers who are trained and qualified to improve the competitiveness of the local industry in the global market.

He said there are 15 Certified National Agricultural Skills Training Centres nationwide, offering students a total of 10 specialisation areas.

Apart from that, Arthur said the ministry also provides funds, grants, and incentives to encourage local farmers, including the Young Agropreneur Grant to attract more young people to the agricultural sector.

-- BERNAMA