KUCHING, Jan 7: Upgrading subsistence farmers in rural areas into commercial producers will be the primary concern of the Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture and Regional Development.
Its minister Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said the ministry would focus on assisting these farmers in increasing their productivity and income simultaneously while promoting Sarawak to become a net food producer and exporter.
“The agriculture sector is, after all, one of the enablers of the State’s Post Covid-19 Strategic Development (PCDS) to propel the State into high-income society by 2030.
“A team will fail if somehow any of its members does not perform or fail to deliver,” he said following a handover ceremony to him by its former minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas today.
Looking forward to contributing to the agricultural sector, Rundi said he would continue the good work of Uggah and consult the latter on pertinent matters related to the ministry.
Meanwhile, Uggah, now the Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development and Second Finance and New Economic Minister, congratulated Rundi on his appointment.
“This is a very interesting ministry. It has its own tagline to help the State become a net exporter of food products by 2030.
“It is also one of the critical agencies to help spearhead the State’s development into a high-income society by the same year,” he said in a statement today.
The handover ceremony was attended by former Assistant Minister Datuk Roland Sagah, who is now the Minister of Education, Innovation, and Talent Development, and current Assistant Ministers Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail (Modernisation of Agriculture) and Martin Ben (Regional Development).
Also present were permanent secretary Datu Edwin Abit, Agriculture Department director Dr Alvin Chai, State Veterinary Services Department director Dr Adrian Susin Ambud, Sarawak Land Development Board general manager Siang Mandaw, Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) general manager Joseph Blandoi, and other senior officers from the ministry and its agencies. — DayakDaily
