KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 — The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry (MAFS) has, thus far, produced 24,800 graduates of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the field of agriculture.
Its deputy minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said the marketability trend of agricultural TVET graduates also showed an increase last year, at 72.3 per cent, compared with 69.5 per cent in 2022 and 66.3 per cent in 2021.
“If we look ahead, there are still some efforts implemented by MAFS to ensure that TVET trainees and graduates become entrepreneurs.
“We have the Graduate Agricultural Youth Development Incubator, and the provision of Young Agropreneur grants to TVET agricultural graduates who have potential and want to start businesses in the agro-food sector after graduation,” he said.
Arthur was responding to Tampin MP Datuk Mohd Isam Mohd Isa’s supplementary question on the marketability of current and future agricultural TVET graduates, as well as the initiatives implemented by the government to enable them to become independent and successful entrepreneurs in the agro-food sector.
Meanwhile, fruits, including durian and pineapple, have each reached a Self-Sufficiency Rate (SSR) of over 100 per cent in Malaysia, and the focus now is on the export market for these two fruits.
Additionally, the nation has successfully produced its own variety of onions as a result of research by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute. This achievement reduces Malaysia’s dependence on imported onions and enhances the country’s food security.
“We always strive to further improve the performance and accreditation of accredited centres under MAFS to attract more youth into this field. It is also to ensure that we have courses that are always in line with modern technology and innovation to increase youth participation and, consequently, boost our food production,” he said.
Arthur was responding to Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s supplementary question on the government’s new strategies to reduce the importation of food items at excessively high prices, which have been increasing annually.
— Bernama
