KANGAR: The involvement of young people in the agricultural sector in Perlis is still very low, raising concerns about the sustainability of the sector in the future, said Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin.
Mohd Uzir said that based on the findings of the 2024 Agricultural Census in the state, only 399 young people, aged between 15 and 30, are involved in the agricultural sector in Perlis out of a total of 18,839 individuals recorded participating in the sector in the state.
“This is a reality that we need to accept. Indeed, the number of youth involved in agriculture is very low compared to those who are older. But this sector still has great potential if we can attract more young people with the use of technology such as automation and drones,“ he said.
He said this to reporters after the launch of the 2024 Perlis Agricultural Census Interim Report here today. The launch was officiated by Perlis Agriculture, Plantation and Consumer Affairs Committee chariman Razali Saad.
Mohd Uzir said that more detailed data from the agricultural census findings could help the state government and related agencies formulate policies, as well as appropriate incentives and more targeted programmes in efforts to address the challenge of attracting young people to the sector.
He said that agricultural technology such as the use of drones, automation, and smart farming systems needs to be intensified to make the sector more appealing to the younger generation.
Meanwhile, Razali said the agricultural sector in Perlis recorded a sales value of RM584.8 million in 2023, with the crop subsector being the largest contributor, recording a sales value of RM276.7 million, followed by the fisheries subsector (RM159.6 million), livestock (RM114.6 million) and aquaculture (RM6.6 million) among others.
“Of the total cultivated area of 58,500 hectares, 95.6 per cent is managed by individuals while the remainder is by corporate agricultural holdings,“ he added.
