By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 9: Veteran army members from the Serian Division have been given new opportunities to improve their livelihoods through sustainable coffee farming under the Program Latihan Madani (PLM) titled Sustainable Coffee Mastery – Responsible Coffee Practices.
The Sarawak Research Society (SRS), in a press release, said the five-day training programme held from Sept 3 to 7 at Borneo Empurau Farm and Resort in Tarat, Serian, aimed to equip retired servicemen with knowledge and practical skills in sustainable coffee farming to generate income and enhance livelihood prospects.
Organised by SRS, the initiative forms part of its ongoing efforts to support community development, particularly among senior citizens and ex-servicemen.
The opening ceremony was officiated by Persatuan Veteran Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (PVATM) Sarawak advisor Major Dato’ Peter Ak Runin (R) together with SRS chairman Prof Dr Hiram Ting.
Both leaders stressed the importance of equipping veterans with sustainable agricultural practices that not only build economic resilience but also encourage environmental stewardship.
Throughout the programme, participants engaged in expert-led sessions and field-based practices covering coffee cultivation, post-harvest processing, and marketing strategies.
Participants expressed gratitude and confidence that the skills gained would enable them to pursue coffee farming as a viable alternative source of income.
“The success of this programme reflects our strong commitment to ensuring that our veterans remain productive, empowered, and well-prepared to contribute to society through sustainable practices, which is in line with the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) Sarawak,” said Ting.
The PLM initiative continues to serve as a platform to uplift communities by providing impactful, future-oriented training opportunities, while strengthening the socio-economic well-being of Sarawak’s veteran community in alignment with the State’s broader development goals. — DayakDaily
