By Nur Ashikin Louis and Yee Mei
KUCHING, Jan 17: Sarawak wants to learn from the world’s second largest food exporter Netherlands on transforming its agriculture sector through smart farming and food security.
Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg commended the Netherlands on its remarkable achievement especially when the country has an estimated of 17.4 million population and is smaller in land size compared to Sarawak with a lesser population at 2.8 million.
“This means, Sarawak can follow how the agriculture sector has been developed in Holland (Netherlands) and they don’t waste land.
“I was informed that if they plant one crop and the area cannot produce that crop in the following year, maybe (it can be used) for another crop. Then they can train their farmers. This means there is no waste in land use.
“For Sarawak, we have ample land and a small population but we can be an exporter of food in this region bearing in mind that 50 per cent of the world’s population is within six hours’ flight and we can reach out to this market,” he said at a press conference after officiating at the first Sarawak-Dutch Food Security Workshop held at Pullman Hotel Kuching here today.
Earlier, Abang Johari pointed out that one of Sarawak’s weaknesses in agriculture includes command of technology where the local farming community is still based on conventional and traditional modes of production.
Other weaknesses include the lack in expertise in soil and plant management as well as nursery practices to produce seeds.
“If we are able to cover these three challenges that we face, I believe we can transform the whole agriculture sector and we can contribute to food security in this region,” he added.
He also pointed out that Sarawak has indigenous fruits like pineapple and terung asam which can be developed on a large scale.
“As you know these fruits are not only for the flesh (of the fruit) and the juice but also it can be recycled based on a circular economy where Netherlands is the expert in this (matter),” he emphasised.
Amongst those present were Sarawak Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom; Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands to Malaysia, Jacques Werner; Deputy Minister of Food Industry Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail; and Deputy Minister of Commodity and Regional Development Martin Ben.
— DayakDaily
