Penang to digitalise its agriculture sector to improve food security

Fahmi: The digitalised data system will allow farmers or fishermen to carefully plan their planting or fishing season.

PENANG plans to digitalise its agriculture sector to improve food security and farming in the state.

The state agrotechnology, food security and cooperative development committee chairman Fahmi Zainol said a digitalised data system was important for Penang’s agriculture sector.

“This system would not only help those in the industry to plan, but at the same time, ensure food security in the state,” he said.

The Pantai Jerejak assemblyman said the move would also help control overproduction of any agriculture product such as vegetables or aquaculture and subsequently help stabilise its price.

He said the system would also allow farmers or fishermen to carefully plan their planting or fishing season.

Fahmi said the proposal was currently being considered by the state government and if approved, Penang would be the first to have a digitalised agriculture system in the country.

Earlier Fahmi launched the Agriculture Statistic Seminar 2023 at Universiti Sains Malaysia in Nibong Tebal, in conjunction with National Statistic Day.

Some 300 participants from state and federal agencies related to the agriculture sector attended the one-day seminar.

The inaugural seminar aimed to inform participants about the development of the agriculture sector.

The programme also served as preparation for the 2024 Agricultural Census, the fourth since 2005, which will be conducted in collaboration with the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry and its agencies.

Meanwhile, state Department of Statistics director Khairolnizam Hassan said about 10,000 households had been identified for next year’s agricultural census.

He said the census was expected to be carried out over three months from July to September 2024.

“Currently, we are conducting house to house visits to identify those who are involved in the agriculture sectors in Penang,” he said.

He said the paperwork on the agriculture census had been forwarded to the Cabinet and if approved, the exercise would be carried out next year as planned.