TVET can help reduce food imports
KUALA KUBU BARU: The national agriculture industry needs to be strengthened through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to reduce dependence on food imports, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Deputy Prime Minister said the move is important to ensure food security, including in the dairy sector, and to meet the needs of the domestic market.
Ahmad Zahid said the National TVET Council is prepared to channel assistance and work with agricultural training institutions nationwide to implement the initiative, especially through high-tech courses, to woo the young.
'The existing modules are good, but in my view, integrating the Internet of Things (IoT) and modern teaching pedagogy into TVET is essential.
'Learning should comprise only 30% classroom sessions, with the remaining conducted on field to give students real-world exposure to agriculture,' Ahmad Zahid, who is the Council chairman, said after performing the groundbreaking ceremony of the Selangor Agricultural Development Corp's 'Ehsan Dairy Farm' dairy cattle complex here yesterday.
Also present were Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and PKPS Group CEO Datuk Dr Mohamad Khairil Mohamad Razi.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said premium salaries should be offered to TVET graduates in the agriculture sector, instead of the minimum RM1,700 wage, to attract more youths.
He said TVET graduates holding the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) Level Three were eligible to receive a minimum salary of RM3,000, while those with SKM Level Five qualifications can earn up to RM5,000 a month.
'SKM Level Five is equivalent to a diploma, and due to strong market demand and high employability, holders can command a premium salary of about RM5,000. This will certainly encourage young people to venture into this field,' he said, Bernama reported.
On the Ehsan Dairy Farm, Ahmad Zahid described it as a game changer for PKPS in its efforts to boost local dairy production, thus helping to reduce reliance on imports.
'We import about 94.7% of the country's dairy needs, which is worth RM4.6mil a year. The Prime Minister, when tabling the 13th Malaysia Plan, highlighted that one of the significant burdens we face is the need to import food products, including dairy.
'This PKPS initiative is a proactive step towards significantly reducing our reliance on dairy imports,' he said.
The Ehsan Dairy Farm, expected to begin operations early next year, is located on the 16.7ha Sungai Tengi PKPS Farm.
It will house more than 1,200 high-quality Jersey-Holstein Friesian dairy cows from Australia.
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