| Azlan Othman & Azaraimy HH |
LOCAL farmers should acquire the Brunei Good Agricultural Practice (Brunei GAP) certificate which would help their produce enter and impress international markets.
This was stated yesterday by Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, on the sidelines of his working visit to two agricultural development areas and presentation of Brunei GAP certificate to two farms – Bioprop Sdn Bhd in Lumapas Agriculture Development Area, belonging to Jamarshahzuin bin Haji Mohd Jaafar and Eco Nadi Agrobiz in Kampong Sinaut Agriculture Development Site in Tutong, operated by Haji Mohd Ayub bin Haji Suhaili and Khairuddin bin Mohammad.
“This official authorisation will tell overseas customers that agriculture produce from Brunei Darussalam do conform to global safety and quality standards,” the minister told the Bulletin in Kampong Lumapas.
“We encourage more farmers to acquire this accreditation as it brings more benefits to consumers as well as businesses. Nowadays, customers are more sophisticated when buying products and the Brunei GAP certification will certainly help them take the right decision,” Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali added.
Brunei GAP is a national standard for vegetable and fruit crops introduced by the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood in 2014.
It was established to increase the potential of local farms in the production of vegetables and fruits and help them compete in the regional and international markets.
Meanwhile at the EcoNadi Agrobiz farm in Kampong Sinaut, Tutong, the minister urged local graduates to explore agro business, particularly high-tech farming, as a viable career option “as the government through the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism is keen to assist aspiring farmers who are serious”. He said agricultural development in the country is not yet satisfying, adding that increased efforts are needed to make it more encouraging.
The ministry has provided eligible farmers land plots of at least two hectares to enlarge their agriculture production, and if they become successful, the government is willing to allocate more land to them, he noted.
“The farmers must be serious in increasing production, not just to acquire the land plot only to leave it aside,” he added.
These initiatives are part of the government’s efforts to diversify the economy away from heavy reliance on the oil and gas industry, the minister said, hoping that more and more agricultural firms will apply for the Brunei GAP to boost public confidence in their produces.
Touching on local people’s interest in venturing into farming business, the minister said the picture is not rosy.
He hoped that more people, especially university graduates, will start exploring opportunities in the agricultural sector as their business or career options.
He said the ministry, through the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood, has been organising a series of programmes to introduce agricultural opportunities in the country, especially those utilising modern farming techniques such as hydroponics, fertigation and greenhouse system, and they are attracting many young people including graduates to venture into modern farming business.
The working visits, organised by the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood, aimed to observe the good agricultural practices that are being followed by farms that attained the Brunei GAP certification.
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