SERDANG: The agriculture sector has to remain strategically important as a food provider and must keep pace with a fast changing world moving towards digital technology, says Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based industries, Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.
“New digital and biotechnologies will impact on the livelihood of millions of farmers worldwide. We need to know how to handle the economic dynamics and social consequences of such a large-scale march to the new brave world of digital agriculture in 2050,” the minister told a recent seminar on agriculture and food security. [ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”2,3″ ihc_mb_template=”1″ ]
The event organised by the Universiti Putra Malaysia Alumni Association (PAUPM) together with the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security (ITFoS) hosted leaders from the relevant agro-based agencies.
The seminar aimed to collate new ideas and compile recommendations for wider considerations as well as to set directions and formulating strategies and policies in the agriculture and food sector.
A total of six seminar papers were presented on selected topics ranging from future scenarios, new technologies, future graduates and trade policies.
“The agricultural sector has to remain strategically important as a food provider, the minister added and has to keep pace with a drastically evolving world.
He said the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), in cooperation with the Agriculture Institute of Malaysia (AIM) is drafting the Agrologist Act to regulate agricultural professionals. The act is expected to be introduced this year,” he told seminar participants.
The minister also pointed out that many aspects of agriculture needs to be modernised and modified to cater for the changing demands of the era.
Speaking at the seminar, the president of PAUPM, Datuk Seri Diraja Syed Razlan Putra Jamalullail said farmers will be looking at cost effective planting materials and vertical smart farming among others.
Another speaker, Rahul Vashistha, Head of the Nestrade Procurement Hub Malaysia highlighted the challenges faced by the current generation of food producers to feed the world, changes in consumption patterns, waste from field to fork, and the sustainable agriculture initiatives platform.
Dr Heong Kong Luen, a former principle scientist at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) presented a plenary paper on “International and Regional Perspectives on Food Security”.
In his presentation he showed the unethical marketing strategies of people in rural areas, who are selling pesticides to farmers.
“Pesticides in certain food producing areas are sold like Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCGs) violating the FAO/WHO International code of Conduct and thus promoting misuse and overuse.
“The lack of regulations and enforcement has allowed pesticides to be sold using sales incentives. In order to promote and sustain environment-friendly agriculture, technical innovations need to be supported by parallel policies and implementation infrastructures,” added Heong.
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