Latest news with #AgricultureCensus


The Star
6 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Johor reaps success as agri giant
JOHOR BARU: Johor contributed the highest value of agricultural output nationwide, with sales reaching RM27.2bil last year, says a state executive councillor. Johor agriculture, agro-based industry and rural development committee chairman Datuk Zahari Sarip (pic) said the figure was based on the 2024 Agriculture Census presented by the Statistics Department. He said the data was shared during the National Agriculture Exco meeting, which was chaired by Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu in Putrajaya recently. 'The meeting served as an important platform to align key policies and proposals to advance the agricultural and agri-food sector across the country,' he said in a statement yesterday. The Buloh Kasap assemblyman said Johor's strong performance reaffirmed its position as a national agriculture powerhouse and a critical contributor to food production and food security in Malaysia. Zahari also said the state government would remain committed to ensuring that the agriculture sector continues to grow. He added that Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has repeatedly stressed the need for continuous efforts to boost the sector as a key part of the state's development plan. 'As part of the Johor Budget 2026, we will focus on empowering the target groups involved, such as farmers, livestock breeders, fishermen and agri-entrepreneurs,' he said. Zahari also said that during the meeting, he had raised the importance of food security within the broader framework of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) development. Zahari said food security was a key focus area under the JS-SEZ initiative, adding that efforts would include promoting high-tech agricultural practices. 'Our goal is to scale up the production of quality and competitive agri-food products by embracing innovation and sustainable methods,' he said. In recognition of Johor's role, Zahari said the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry has approved a special allocation of RM23.4mil for the state. 'The funds will be used to implement 20 programmes and agricultural projects throughout 2025, with the aim of accelerating development and improving farmers' livelihoods. 'The state government is grateful for the support and will ensure the effective and smooth implementation of all initiatives under this collaboration,' he said. Zahari also said that he had called for improvements in disaster assistance management, especially for farmers, breeders and fishermen affected by floods and other natural disasters during the meeting. He said that faster aid delivery would enable them to resume affected projects quickly and safeguard their income sources and output capacity. 'The state government will continue giving its full commitment to elevating the agriculture sector in line with the Maju Johor agenda,' he added.


India Today
09-06-2025
- Business
- India Today
Who qualifies as an Indian farmer and why it matters
Who is a real farmer? One who owns the land or one whose income comes from agriculture? The question has long been debated in policy circles, and especially now as rural economies increasingly depend on non-farm Agriculture Census (2015-16) and the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme define a farmer as anyone who owns a farm, even if their main source of income isn't agriculture. Based on this, the estimated number of farmers in India falls between 110 million and 146.5 here's the catch: this definition leaves out India's 12.5 million landless farmers—often the most marginalised—who work on leased land. Since they don't technically own land, they're excluded from most government subsidies, welfare schemes and even insurance programmes aimed at supporting why does this question matter? Because in India, being classified as a farmer comes with access to a lot of benefits, says Rajesh Shukla, CEO, managing director and co-founder of the not-for-profit think-tank People Research on India's Consumer Economy (PRICE). Farmers get input subsidies, support for fertilisers, electricity, irrigation, and more. A PRICE primary research paper, 'Reimagining Annadata Households and Their Livelihoods Beyond the Farm', suggests only 20.7 per cent of rural households—around 68.4 million—are fully dependent on agriculture. The majority of rural households—42.4 per cent or around 140 million—earn from agriculture but are not completely reliant on study also points out that of the 68.4 million rural households fully dependent on agriculture, only 55.9 million own agricultural land. The remaining 12.5 million are tenanted farmers—they cultivate land but don't own it. These tenanted farmers, often left out of policy frameworks, form one of the most vulnerable groups in the agri issue becomes even more important when you consider that the number of households fully dependent on farming has been steadily declining over the decades. In 1975-76, full-time agricultural households made up 42 per cent of all households in India. By 2024-25, that figure is projected to drop to just 21 per here's something worth noting: despite the decline in proportion, the absolute number of full-time agricultural households has grown, simply because of India's rising population. Back in 1975-76, there were around 41 million Annadata households. By 2024-25, this number is expected to hit 68.4 story of full-time agricultural households is a bit of a mixed bag, says Shukla. On the one hand, things have improved—many families now earn more, thanks to non-farm income and some asset ownership. But financial pressures remain—high expenses, rising debt and the struggle of managing with small landholdings. Add to that the regional and caste-based inequalities, and the picture gets more agricultural households continue to diversify, it's clear that we need a more inclusive and flexible definition of who qualifies as a farmer. Only then can government schemes truly reach the right people and it can be ensured that no deserving group is left to India Today Magazine


New Straits Times
01-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Agriculture now lucrative, tech-driven sector for youth
GOPENG: Agriculture is no longer viewed merely as a traditional livelihood but has evolved into a lucrative sector offering high-income potential and modern opportunities. Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said the agriculture and agri-food sector remains vibrant and promising, particularly for the younger generation. "The issue of ageing farmers is not unique to our country; it is a challenge faced globally. "The ministry has several initiatives to attract more young people to venture into agriculture," he told reporters after attending the closing ceremony of the Perak Fama Fest 2025. The event was officiated by Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad at RTC Gopeng here today. He was commenting on Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof's remarks that there is a need to rejuvenate the agriculture sector by attracting more participation from the younger generation. This follows the findings of the 2024 Agriculture Census, which revealed that 458,395 agricultural operators are aged 60 and above; 326,287 are between the ages of 46 and 59; and 224,147 are aged between 15 and 45. Arthur also outlined several initiatives by the ministry to attract more youth into agriculture. "Our first initiative is expanding market opportunities through programmes like Fama Fest. This not only helps farmers market their products effectively but also highlights the sector's high-income potential. "Secondly, we are introducing modern farming methods. We encourage farmers to adopt technology and innovation rather than relying solely on conventional practices. "This approach not only enhances productivity but also appeals to young people by integrating elements like manufacturing, maintenance, and operations into the agricultural value chain," he added. He said other initiatives include providing technical and vocational education and training (TVET) courses. "The ministry offers fully funded TVET programmes in areas such as livestock, fisheries, and vegetable cultivation. These courses include accommodation and daily allowances to support participants," he said. He also emphasised the need for collaboration with state governments to ensure adequate funding and land availability to support young farmers in expanding and developing the agriculture sector. "Only through collaboration can we empower the next generation to lead the agriculture industry into the future," he said. Commenting on the event, Arthur said that Perak has been a key pillar of the Fama Fest programme, now in its seventh year. "Last year, our sales target for Perak Fama Fest was RM2 million. Due to the overwhelming response, we surpassed that target with RM2.6 million in sales. "This year, we've set a higher target of RM3 million. With 210 exhibitors participating over five days, we are confident of achieving this goal," he added. He added that Perak typically contributes the largest share of sales to the national Fama Fest programme, accounting for about 30 per cent of total sales last year. "This year, our target is RM6 million nationwide for the entire Fama Fest series," he said, adding that the festival will continue in other states, including Sabah, Selangor, and Negri Sembilan.


The Star
01-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Govt boosts initiatives to engage youth in farming
GOPENG: The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry is intensifying efforts to promote youth involvement in agriculture, amid concerns over Malaysia's ageing farmer population, says Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup. The deputy minister stated that, with many farmers now in their 60s, the ministry recognised that the ageing farmer issue is a global challenge. He said that the country would implement targeted measures to address the issue. 'This is not a challenge unique to Malaysia. We are taking proactive steps to attract more young people to the agriculture sector,' he said at the Fama Fest 2025, which was held at the Rural Transformation Centre here on Sunday (June 1). Arthur was responding to the preliminary findings from the 2024 Agriculture Census, which indicated that Malaysians over the age of 60 constitute the largest segment of the country's farmers, while approximately 90% of all farmers have only completed education up to the SPM level. Arthur said that one of the initiatives was the organisation of programmes such as Fama Fest, which aim to create broader market access for young agropreneurs. 'We want to show that agriculture and the agri-food industry are viable and profitable career paths. 'The ministry is also advocating for a shift away from conventional farming methods, urging a transition to modern, technology-driven agriculture,' he added. He said the ministry was also promoting agricultural Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes. 'These courses, which cover areas such as livestock, fisheries, and vegetable farming, are fully funded by the government, including accommodation and daily expenses to make them more accessible to youth. 'There is also a need for cooperation from state governments. It is important that land and financing are made available to ensure young people have the resources to grow and expand their agricultural ventures,' he said.


The Star
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
MyAgroPrice to aid consumers with comprehensive food pricing data
SERDANG: Ever complained about the rising prices of nasi campur but wondered why farmers are making so little at the same time? Well, now you can find out who is getting a cut from all the meats, greens and rice that is on your plate courtesy of the MyAgroPrice platform run by the Statistics Department. When it is fully up and running, MyAgroPrice will display the prices for almost all foods produced in the country at three stages – the farm, wholesale and retail. 'Consumers can see the difference between the prices that they have to pay compared to the prices at which farmers are selling their produce,' said chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin when launching MyAgroPrice. The platform was launched together with DOSM's umbrella site, the Agriculture Digital Database Integration System or TaniStats here on May 29. TaniStats is compilation of all the data that the department has so far collected on the agriculture sector during its 2024 Agriculture Census. Besides MyAgroPrice, TaniStats will contain the census data, upstream and downstream sector statistics and food security indicators. 'This system will also integrate all agricultural data where updates will be carried out periodically among agricultural agencies and will be used as a reference for policy formulation, development planning and measuring the achievements of their respective sectors. 'TaniStats will strengthen strategic planning, increase supply chain efficiency, and ensure the development of a more sustainable and competitive agricultural sector,' DOSM said in a statement. Checks on the MyAgroPrice platform revealed that it is currently at the testing stage and only lists one item. But DOSM officials say that when it is fully ready, it will contain a whole range of products under categories that include grains, vegetables, seafood and meats. MyAgroPrice will list the prices at the district level and consumers will be able to compare the cost of items among different states. 'MyAgroPrice is an innovation that provides information on the level and changes in the prices of selected agricultural products that can be used by consumers for consumption decisions. 'In addition, policymakers can use price information on the MyAgroPrice platform to determine appropriate interventions for supply security and prices of agricultural products,' it added. MyAgroPrice and other data from the census can be accessed at