By Jacob Achoi
SERIAN, July 14: A total of RM330,000 in allocations has been set aside for 27 participants, whose applications for the rearing of chicken, ducks, pigs and swiflets have been approved.
The participants comprise 11 from Mambong and 16 from Tarat constituencies, respectively.
The symbolic handing over of the projects’ input was held today at the Kpg Sarig community hall in Padawan and officiated at by Assistant Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn.
According to Sagah, each participant will receive between RM5,000 and RM50,000, as a special allocation from the state government under the Agriculture Facilitation Programme (AFP).
“This (allocation) is a special allocation under the State Veterinary Services Department (SVSD) to help the participants to develop the projects with the hope to increase income, while at the same time to help with increasing food production,” he said.
“So you (participants) must be very serious with the projects because SVSD will continuously monitor the projects,” the Tarat assemblyman cautioned
Sagah said the rearing of livestock and ruminants in the state has great potential, which calls for the participants to take the projects very seriously.
He added that areas like Tarat and Mambong, which have good road networks and close proximity to airports and ports have the added advantage for such projects to be developed.
Sagah also revealed the state exported RM165 million worth of food products like livestock, live pigs, pork and bird nests to Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia and Maldives last year.
“At the same time, the state also aims to become a net food exporter by 2023 and with nine years to go, we cannot rest on our laurels,” Sagah pointed out.
Among those present at the event were Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Edwin Ebit, Serian Resident Tuah Suni, Land Custody Development Authority (LCDA) general manager Siang Mandaw and SVSD deputy director Dr Sajem Jinim. — DayakDaily
