The Ministry of Agriculture promotes youth farming through its Permanent Food Production Parks, offering organised land access to build a skilled agri-workforce.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is leveraging its Permanent Food Production Park projects to attract youth into the agricultural sector.
Deputy Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin said the TKPM initiative is a federal-state collaboration enabling the younger generation to apply for agricultural land.
“For example, in the state of Johor there are nine TKPMs while nationwide, the total number has reached 76 projects,” he said in the Dewan Negara.
He stated this initiative allows youth interested in planting and raising livestock to access land in a more organised manner.
The ministry believes this supports building a highly skilled agricultural workforce and young agri-entrepreneurs.
Chan added the ministry is coordinating with other agencies to identify potential land for agricultural development.
He advised youth to monitor their state agriculture departments’ websites and social media for land application announcements.
In a separate session, Chan urged rice farmers to report any manipulation in the padi weight deduction system.
He said intervention will be taken if parties deliberately affect farmers’ income through unhealthy competition.
“The padi deduction system should be based on ‘rice check’,” he said.
He was responding to a claim regarding manipulation believed to be due to millers giving remuneration to lorry drivers.
