Cultivate sago palm for food security and rehabilitating peatlands — minister

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By Wilfred Pilo

KUCHING, Sept 24: Minister of Education, Innovation, and Talent Development Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn has stressed the importance of local communities cultivating sago palm.

He hoped it would strengthen food security and help to restore and rehabilitate peatlands where the trees grow.

Sagah added that continuous research in this field is vital to yield knowledge about sago palm cultivation and environment management.

“It must benefit people so that we all can contribute to sustaining our ecological system,” he told reporters at the 15th International Sago Symposium Ice Breaking Event-cum-dinner at Sarawak Tropical Peat Research Institute (Tropi) here last night.

Sagah elaborated that the sago palm has been dubbed by many communities as the ‘tree of life’ as it not only gives food, but studies have also shown that it helps to sustain the peatland where it grows.

“It is also vital to research how to hasten the gestation period for sago palm so that it can be harvested for many uses.”

Sagah added that sago palm also has many industrial uses and any research that goes toward hastening sago palm maturity for harvest could benefit industries and humankind for food sustainability.

He said he had highlighted CRAUN Crop Research and Application Unit research on formulating sago liquid waste for biogas during the State Legislative Assembly sitting in May this year.

“Of course, the production is not high as the gestation period of sago palm is long before harvest,” he lamented.

The 15th International Sago Symposium organising chairman, Datu Dr Lulie Melling, said 250 delegates would attend the event themed “Unlocking the Potential of Sago Palm: Towards Sustainable Food Systems and Environmental Restoration” from Sept 23 to 25. — DayakDaily

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