Faced with tough job prospects, some youths find a new perspective on agriculture
WITH rising unemployment and tough economic times, some youth are starting to reconsider working as labourers in plantations and farms.
Before this, the sectors faced difficulty in recruiting locals and relied mainly on foreign workers as a plantation labourer’s work is seen as a 3D job – “difficult, dirty and dangerous”.
However, salaries and career progression still remain an important deciding factor among youths.
Fahmi Ishak, 23, is open to the idea of working in the agriculture and plantations sector.
The final year university student is somewhat familiar with work in the palm oil plantation as he comes from a family of Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) settlers.
During the holidays, Fahmi often visits his grandparents in Pahang where he would gain valuable first-hand knowledge about plantation work.
“I’ve never done it for an extended period of time, but once or twice I’ve followed my late grandfather to the oil palm plantation to try it out. It’s tiring work but also very fulfilling,” says Fahmi, who is finishing up his English Literature and Linguistics degree at a public university.
However, the main concern for Fahmi is the pay, and he would prefer to work at his own plantation rather than for someone else.
“If I work on someone else’s plantation as an employee, it feels like I would not be able to reap the fruits of my labour. I would consider it and I have considered it, but I also like the good material things in life which I don’t think I’d be able to get if I went into that field,” he says.
Fahmi’s late grandfather was a Felda settler in Jengka and many of his relatives still remain in the Felda scheme as farmers or in administrative roles.
“I grew up listening to stories about the work in the plantations. Like the long galah (poles) they use. How the leaves and the fruit fall. How heavy the fruits are. So while I did not grow up in the plantation, my life was pretty heavily intertwined with it. Because that’s where family is,” he says.
In an interview with Bernama on Tuesday, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali urged Malaysians, especially those with secondary school qualifications, to consider working as labourers in plantations as they can earn a good salary in the field, upwards of RM2,500 a month.
“The plantation sector promises a large salary at a young age, even at 19, 20 or 21 years old,” he had told the national news agency, adding that the government is working towards reducing the dependency on foreign labour by stages.
According to a 2016 study, Labour Force Participation of Rural Youth in the Plantation Sector of Northern Peninsular Malaysia, published in Jurnal Ekonomi Malaysia, factors that can possibly increase local youth participation in the plantation sector includes an improvement of the working environment, job status, facilities and benefits provided.
An avionic technician in his 20’s who only wishes to be known as Adam, agrees that youths may choose to go into plantations and agricultural work if they receive commensurate remuneration.
“Personally, I am OK to work in farms and plantations. Many youths in general are apprehensive about switching fields but in this economic climate where jobs are hard to come by, we cannot be too picky,” says Adam, who holds a technician’s certification.
“Friends my age nowadays don’t really mind working in any sector as long as their salaries can match their financial commitments.”
Adam recognises that the work in plantations and farms are labour-intensive and he will have to move into more rural areas, but if the economic climate becomes more difficult and the sector offers a pay of between RM3000 to RM4000 a month, Adam says he is willing to make the change.
“Many of my friends in the aviation industry have lost jobs. As long as I have something to survive on, that is enough for me,” he says.
However, Adam’s main reason to remain in the Klang Valley is to look after his mother, as she will be living alone if he moves away.
Ruben*, 28, also would not mind joining the sector if the salary and incentives were good enough.
“I am OK to work in agriculture and plantations, even if it is hard labour. I am already working in the service industry which is quite hard,” says the chef.
“We do a lot of heavy lifting and it is very hot in the kitchen. The only difference is that you will be working outdoors in the plantations and farms,” he explains.
Ruben brings home around RM2500 a month after benefits. He says that he would “of course” consider work in a plantation if they can pay him more than RM3000. However, he says that youths would consider the location of the farms and plantations as they prefer to work closer to cities for the excitement it brings.
“I guess people who left school early, or who didn’t complete school would be more interested because we don’t have that academic achievement behind us to back us up,” says Ruben, who holds an SPM qualification.
He says by digitising the industry, the agriculture and plantation sector would attract the younger generation as they are more inclined towards technology and computers.
In desperate times such as these, youths are pushed to step out of their comfort zone, says 20-yearold Aiman*, whose studies in
Turkey was put on hold due to Covid 19. Currently back in Malaysia, she says that unless other options are available, she would be willing to work in farms and plantations for the sake of sustaining herself.
“Nowadays everyone is struggling economically. Employees are being paid less and employers are losing profit. So in this recovery phase, employers are trying to recruit more labour to create more job opportunities and to regain profit. We as employees can take this opportunity too,” says the theology student.
“But as a woman, I think the challenging part of working in the agriculture industry is that safety is not guaranteed.”
While some youths may change their minds about working in plantations and farms, many others remain unwilling to enter the field due to reasons like salary, career prospects and convenience.
Fresh graduate Daniel*, 23, who holds a degree in business, prefers a service-based job and says that many of his friends would also be uninterested in manual labour work.
“How would I grow in my career? What are my opportunities after that? Those are just natural concerns, which is why I would be hesitant to look for labour-intensive jobs in the agriculture and plantation fields,” he says.
Ruling out working as a plantation worker, freelance designer Arissa* says she is willing to venture into agriculture only if she can have her own farm.
“My parents started their own dusun buah (fruit farm) near Port Dickson after their retirement a few years ago and I’ve been helping them on weekends. Since the MCO, I’ve spent more time there and since there are no designing jobs coming in at the moment, I’ve been thinking of the possibility of doing this full time and taking over from them. Maybe grow some organic vegetables and rear some free range chickens too.”
“Even Bill Gates said chickens are a good investment!” she quips, before adding, “And maybe I can continue to do some part-time designing work at night.”