Selangor: The country’s agricultural industry needs to be strengthened through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to reduce dependence on food imports, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the move is important for ensuring food security, including in the dairy sector, to meet the needs of the domestic market. Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, stated that the National TVET Council is prepared to provide assistance and collaborate with agricultural training institutions nationwide to implement the initiative, especially through high-tech courses aimed at attracting the interest of young people.
Ahmad Zahid emphasized the need to integrate the Internet of Things (IoT) and modern teaching methods into TVET. He suggested that learning should consist of only 30 per cent classroom sessions, with the remaining 70 per cent conducted in the field to give students real-world exposure to agriculture. This was stated at a press conference after the groundbreaking ceremony of the Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation’s ‘Ehsan Dairy Farm’ Dairy Cattle Complex.
Also present at the event were Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and PKPS Group Chief Executive Officer Datuk Dr Mohamad Khairil Mohamad Razi.
Ahmad Zahid further commented that premium salaries should be offered to TVET graduates in the agricultural sector, instead of the minimum wage of RM1,700, to attract more young people to join the industry. TVET graduates holding the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) Level Three are eligible for a minimum salary of RM3,000, while those with SKM Level Five qualifications can earn up to RM5,000 a month.
He remarked that SKM Level Five is equivalent to a diploma, and due to strong market demand and high employability, it can command a premium salary of around RM5,000, encouraging young people to venture into this field.
Regarding the “Ehsan Dairy Farm”, Ahmad Zahid described it as a game changer for PKPS in its efforts to boost local dairy production and reduce the country’s reliance on imports. He mentioned that Malaysia imports about 94.7 per cent of its dairy needs, valued at RM4.6 million annually, and highlighted that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, recently identified the import of food products, including dairy, as a significant burden.
The Ehsan Dairy Farm, expected to commence operations in early 2026, will be situated on approximately 16.7 hectares at the Sungai Tengi PKPS Farm. It will house over 1,200 high-quality Jersey-Holstein Friesian (F2) dairy cows from Australia, a country known for its expertise in industrial dairy farming.