The agriculture industry’s contribution to the Sultanate’s gross domestic product (GDP), at 0.49 per cent, is relatively low, but it is an important indicator of the nation’s efforts to diversify its economy beyond oil and gas, Legislative Council member and Brunei Association of Agriculture Farmers (PPPB) President Yang Berhormat Pengiran Haji Isa bin Pengiran Haji Aliuddin said.
He said this during an opportunity farming workshop at the Post Harvest Training Room in Kampong Tungku Agricultural Development area yesterday.
“Our neighbouring countries with higher GDP income from agricultural activities still make a lot of effort to increase productivity and export capabilities,” Yang Berhormat Pengiran Haji Isa said.
“I believe Brunei can be competitive and to do so we have to support our farmers with knowledge and resources for them to leap forward. We would like to see more farmers increasing their income level and make the transition to become successful agropreneurs,” he added.
Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism Hajah Tutiaty binti Haji Abdul Wahab, the guest of honour, officiated the workshop and launched the PPPB website.
The workshop was attended by 60 participants representing sectors of the agriculture industry from crops, paddy, livestock and agrifood.
Representatives from the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood, Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC) Secretariat, Darussalam Enterprise (DARe), Youth Development Centre (PPB), Universiti Teknologi Brunei, Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali and Institute of Brunei Technical Education were also present.
The website marked the organisation’s aspirations to stimulate the growth of the agriculture industry by offering consultation, information sharing and training, in line with PPPB’s refresh strategy ‘Menjana Perubahan’ or Creating Change.
The Mentor Peladang programme was launched with the first batch of six experienced mentors and agropreneurs. PPPB also expressed gratitude to the Government of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam for supporting farmers by giving access to farming land and incentives such as subsidised fertilisers and the paddy buy-back scheme. As of 2022, 9,367 individuals were engaged in agricultural activities with 47 per cent Bruneians. With 55 being the average age of a farmer, it is a concern for the Sultanate on the sustainability of the sector.
One of the challenges discussed at the workshop was attracting youth to realise the potential of the agriculture industry.
