Sarawak promotes cluster farming to tackle high feed costs, says minister

SERIAN (March 6): The high cost of feed remains one of the biggest challenges in developing Sarawak’s livestock industry, said State Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.

He stressed that reducing feed costs is key to strengthening the livestock sector and making farming operations more sustainable.

“About 70 per cent of the production cost is from the feed,” he said during a working visit to Ecofarm Solutions Sdn Bhd in Kampung Panchor here.

To tackle the issue, Dr Rundi said the government is promoting a cluster farming approach, where communities collectively produce feed crops such as napier grass, corn, and cassava.

“For example, one family can plant five or 10 acres. If many families participate, the production area can expand significantly. Some can supply napier grass, some corn and others cassava,” he said.

He said the approach aims to build a more complete ecosystem for the livestock industry, covering feed supply, processing, and downstream activities.

Dr Rundi added that agriculture must move beyond subsistence practices to become a modern industry capable of generating sustainable income.

“Our target is for farming families to achieve an income of about RM15,000 per month,” he said.

He said transforming farming communities is part of the state’s broader goal of ensuring rural populations benefit from Sarawak’s development as a high-income region.