Ageing farmers raise alarm over future of agriculture

by SUFEA SALEHUDDIN

MALAYSIA’S agriculture sector is facing a growing demographic imbalance, with nearly half of individual farmers now aged 60 and above, according to preliminary findings from the 2024 Agriculture Census.

The census, launched on May 29, revealed that 458,395 or 45.4% of individual agricultural operators are in the senior age group, raising concerns about long-term productivity and food security.

Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said an additional 32.3% — equivalent to 326,287 individuals — are between 46 and 59 years old, while only 22.2%, or 224,147 farmers, are aged between 15 and 45.

He warned that the predominance of older farmers poses risks to the country’s ability to scale up domestic production and reduce reliance on imports.

“To maintain the viability of the agriculture sector, we must inject new life into it by encouraging more youth participation.

“Without a pool of young, skilled and competitive talent, achieving stronger food security and reducing our dependence on imports will remain a challenge,” he said at the launch of the interim Agriculture Report 2024.

Fadillah noted a coordinated approach is needed to revitalise the sector, one that includes better incentives, the adoption of modern technologies and a shift in how farming careers are perceived by younger Malaysians.

He also noted that education levels remain low among individual farmers, with 90.1% holding only Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) qualifications or lower.

While the census has not yet established a direct link between education and productivity, Fadillah stressed that educational background influences how farmers access information and adopt modern practices.

“Higher educational attainment plays a role in improving decision-making, enabling access to new knowledge and encouraging the use of innovative farming techniques,” he said.

The event also saw the launch of MyAgroPrice, an agricultural pricing dashboard developed under the Tanistats platform.

The tool presents average monthly prices for 60 key agricultural products across the supply chain — at farm, wholesale and retail levels — by state, covering the years 2020 to 2024.

Fadillah said the platform aims to empower farmers with better market visibility, allowing for more informed marketing strategies and reducing the knowledge gap between producers and other players in the supply chain.

“The dashboard also supports policymakers by tracking price movements, identifying trends and designing more focused interventions that prioritise food security and public wellbeing,” he said.