Nafas committed to producing more women and young farmers
The National Farmers’ Association (Nafas) yesterday launched a new logo for the national-level Peladangnita dan Peladang Muda in an effort to attract women and youths to venture into agriculture sector.
Chairman Datuk Zamri Yaakob said the association aimed at producing 500,000 women farmers and 200,000 young farmers within the next three years.
“Nafas will give exposure to university graduates so that they will be interested in entering the field of agriculture which will guarantee a bright future,” he said after the opening of the 49th Nafas Annual General Meeting here by Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry (Mafi) secretary-general Datuk Haslina Abdul Hamid.
Currently, the number of Peladangnita (women farmers aged 40 and above) memberships stand at almost 350,000 while young farmers (aged between 18 and 40) at almost 100,000.
Zamri said Nafas had carried out various efforts to woo young generation, including encouraging members’ children to become farmers as well as providing courses to graduates.
At the event, Nafas received a mock cheque for the additional investment of the Special Farmer Investment Scheme (SPKP) which is the highest National Farmers’ Fund until November 2022, which will be handed over to the Kuala Selangor Area Farmers’ Organisation (PPK) amounting to RM6.062 million, PPK Simpang Lima (RM1.541 million) and PPK Hutan Melintang (RM1.539 million).
Zamri said Nafas through the National Farmers’ Fund always strives to improve its performance by diversifying alternative investment activities as well as exploring new financing products that would bring benefits to investors and for them to enjoy more consistent dividends every year.
He said Nafas also hoped that the new government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would understand the pulse of the people especially farmers and ease their cost of living.
Earlier, Haslina in her opening speech said that Nafas, which was established on March 31, 1972, had made various achievements in line with its role to fight for the social and economic development of nearly a million farmers.
“Moving forward, Nafas together with the Farmers’ Organisation movement should continue to play a more aggressive role in the entire agrofood value chain.
“Nafas needs to continue to be proactive in entering into new businesses that support the government’s aspirations towards strengthening food security,” she said.
Haslina said Mafi’s hope is in line with the aspiration of the Agrofood Policy 2021-2030 (DAN 2.0) which is to increase the capacity of the agrofood sector as a sustainable, resilient and high-tech sector that could drive economic growth and improve people’s wellbeing.
DAN 2.0 also outlines more agile and resilient value chain with high added value activities to ensure smooth operations and remain competitive in stressful conditions such as climate change, global pandemics and other crises that may cause disruption to the value and supply chains.
She added that the involvement and role of Nafas in leading the entire agrofood value chain needs to be seen in a wider perspective, including taking into account the collaboration with the private sector. — Bernama