By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Aug 3: Seasonal crop surpluses that drive down prices could discourage farmers from continuing their efforts unless Sarawak strengthens market access and downstream support, says Datuk Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.
The Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Minister said agricultural development must go beyond production by ensuring farmers have access to markets, processing facilities and a complete supply chain.
“Seasonal means when it is surplus, the price will be down, and the farmers will be slightly — or maybe demotivated. So, if we stop there, that will be the end of what their endeavour is trying to develop.
“Therefore, it is very important for us to have the market, we have the downstream, and so on,” he said in his welcoming speech at the 3rd Congress on Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security (COSAFS2026) at Imperial Hotel in Bintulu today, which was broadcast live by Sarawak Public Communication Unit (UKAS).
He said Sarawak’s agriculture sector must move beyond traditional subsistence practices and embrace modern farming approaches that could provide better returns for farmers while strengthening sustainable food security.
“We change that into looking at the return. Every single drop of sweat must be translated into dollars and cents. Here, we are talking about not only dollars and cents; we are talking about food security that is sustainable,” he said.
Dr Rundi said achieving this transformation required a complete agricultural supply chain, covering upstream research and development (R&D), midstream processing and downstream marketing.
He said farmers had proven they were capable of producing crops, but previously their efforts often stopped at production without sufficient support in processing and market access.
“When we ask our farming communities to produce, they can. But it ends there. So, we need to go beyond. That means we must go all the way into the marketability part of it, into processing, and so on,” he said.
Dr Rundi said this was why collaboration between government agencies, academia, industry players and communities was crucial, as agricultural development could not be achieved by working in silos.
“In agriculture, there’s no way that we can improve, develop, or even make a better future without working together. You cannot work in silos. Adopt and adapt new technology. That is the only way forward for all of us,” he said.
He said research and innovation were also important in identifying high-value crops and improving productivity, noting that Sarawak’s tropical climate provided opportunities for various crops due to its year-round rain and sunshine.
Dr Rundi said efforts were currently ongoing to improve paddy and rice production, supported by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg’s commitment towards collaboration with academia and researchers.
He said the focus was not only on increasing yields, but also ensuring sustainability and resilience through knowledge and innovation.
Dr Rundi said COSAFS2026 provided an important platform for researchers, industry players, policymakers and international experts to exchange knowledge and explore solutions for sustainable agriculture.
He said Sarawak’s ambition to become a net food exporter by 2030 required strong partnerships involving academia, industry, government agencies and local communities.
“Achieving this ambition requires more than government initiatives alone. It depends on strong partnerships,” he said.
He expressed appreciation to Universiti Putra Malaysia Sarawak and its researchers for supporting Sarawak’s agricultural transformation agenda.
Dr Rundi said he hoped the congress would contribute towards stronger policies, industries and a more resilient food system for the future. — DayakDaily
