By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, June 27: Plans are underway to establish Kapit as a hub for stingless bee honey smart farming programme to consolidate honey processing and packaging from various parts of Sarawak.
This initiative followed a two-day smart farming study visit to a stingless bee farm in Sungai Belungei and Reka Jaya Plantation Sdn Bhd’s coffee farm, attended by 45 community members form the Upper Rajang region, including Katibas assemblyman Lidam Assan and Pelagus assemblyman Wilson Nyabong Ijang.
The Regional Corridor Development Authority (Recoda) spearheaded this effort to empower local communities, particularly within the Upper Rajang Development Agency (URDA) area.
According to a media release today, plans are also underway to upgrade the processing and packaging facilities for both stingless bee and coffee industries in the region.
URDA anticipates this support will lead to a 35 per cent income growth for participants, significantly enhancing livelihoods, quality of life, and contributing to Sarawak’s economy.
Malang Biat, one of the participants, expressed gratitude for the insights gained into cocoa farming during the study trip, noting, “They showed us the entire cocoa production process, from seed planting to chocolate production, which has been invaluable as I venture into cocoa cultivation myself.”
Amon Tinggum, a participant and housewife, welcomed the opportunity provided by Recoda and URDA to learn stingless bee honey farming, stating, “I am grateful for the opportunity to learn how to earn a living to support my family through stingless bee honey farming.”
Following the study visit, participants in the stingless bee smart farming programme will each receive six Mustafa hives, aimed at increasing honey yield and simplifying collection compared to traditional methods using hollowed logs.
Meanwhile, participants in the coffee scale-up programme learned to enhance downstream production through advanced agricultural practices and modern processing equipment.
The programme concluded on the Wednesday (June 26), with an appreciation dinner officiated by Lidam and Recoda chief executive director (CEO) Datu Ismawi Ismuni.
These study visits were part of Recoda’s Socio-Economic Development Programme (SED, aimed at fostering competitive entrepreneurs in the Upper Rajang, highland, and Northern Sarawak regions, to drive economic expansion and community development. — DayakDaily
