Farmers' Attitude Hampers Modernisation Of Agriculture, Says Minister
MALAYSIA - Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Monday modernisation of agriculture has been hampered by farmers and government officers who are reluctant to change their attitude.He said little change had taken place in the sector in the last two years that he had been the minister, although he had announced various policies and programmes to spur the process.
"This is most difficult. In my two years in the ministry, I have made hundreds of decisions but if there is no will to implement the instructions of the minister, there will be no change," he said when delivering his message for the new year to leaders of the Farmers Organisation Authority (FOA), here.
Muhyiddin criticised the attitude of certain farmers who were reluctant to accept change and were easily satisfied with what they had.
He said that though agriculture required more time to develop compared to other sectors, everyone should play their respective roles to intensify growth.
He said it was the desire of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to see the agriculture sector contribute seven per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2010, up from the three per cent now.
The government had provided various facilities as well as a large financial allocation of RM1.7 billion for development of the sector this year, he said.
However, he added, policies and allocations would not yield results unless the farmers, as the agents of change, played their role in earnest.
Source: Malaysian National News Agency
23 January 2006
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