PUTRAJAYA will introduce the “farm managers” system to boost efficiency and incomes, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The prime minister said the system will enable farmers to generate a good income even if their farms are small, adding that they need not depend solely on rubber and oil palm.

The system is similar to plantations’ “estate managers”, he said.

“We will introduce an agriculture management method like that employed on estates, but it is called ‘farm managers’,” he said at a Leaders With the Rakyat session in Pontian today.

With the system in place, said Dr Mahathir, smallholdings will be worked like plantations and see better returns.

“If we depend only on rubber and oil palm cultivation, we will be affected when the commodities’ prices drop.”

He said the government is also exploring the use of high technology to help farmers.

“Nowadays, farming is done not only on vast land, but also in small containers, using small amounts of soil with multi-level cultivation for all sorts of crops.

“With modern technology, small plots of land that are not so fertile… can be used (for farming) to generate income.”

The Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry will develop initiatives towards this end, but the people’s cooperation is key to making them a success, he said. – Bernama, October 31, 2019.