Agriculture

 Policy Statement 

The nation shall use IT to re-engineer agriculture for the purposes of maximizing food production, improving food self-sufficiency and security, increasing output for industrial raw material utilization, providing employment, economic growth and minimising environmental abuse and degradation.

 Objectives 

1. To optimise land use for food production.

2. To provide employment for the citizenry.

3. To minimize urban migration.

4. Develop and protect a sustainable agricultural environment.

 Strategies 

1. Developing Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to monitor the environment and plan sustainable environmental usage: IT is used in land and water management, offshore resource exploitation, yield assessment and livestock management. Government will revitalise agricultural extension services by empowering and equipping farm extension workers with IT skills to support farmers through the use of IT in areas such as:
   a. Digital Mapping
   b. Land Use
   c. Soil types
   d. Meteorology
   e. Ecology
   f. Oceanography particularly off-shore fisheries exploitation
   g. Hydrology
   h. Agricultural records

2. Establishing an agricultural information system to provide support for planning, production, storage and distribution of horticultural crops, livestock, and fisheries products.

3. Creating IT awareness for all types of farmers at all levels nationwide.