Stronger inter-agency cooperation vital for Sarawak’s food security, says Dr Rundi

KUCHING (Feb 25): Close collaboration among agriculture-related agencies is crucial to strengthening Sarawak’s food security and realising its ambition of becoming a net food exporter by 2030, said State Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.

He emphasised that agencies under both the state and federal governments must enhance cooperation and avoid operating in silos to ensure more effective policy implementation and programme delivery.

Highlighting the critical role of these agencies in driving a sustainable and technology-based agricultural sector, Dr Rundi said stronger coordination would help secure food supplies, uplift farming communities and support the state’s long-term development agenda.

He made these remarks while delivering his ministerial keynote address at a hotel here on Tuesday.

Dr Rundi called for intensified efforts to reduce dependence on food imports and improve self-sufficiency levels, particularly in rice production, which currently stands at only 21 per cent.

While acknowledging that the journey towards greater self-reliance would be challenging, he expressed confidence that with creativity, resilience, and stronger inter-agency cooperation, Sarawak would be able to achieve its targets.

He added that the state’s food security and modern agriculture agenda would be reinforced through productivity-driven strategies such as technology adoption, precision farming, integrated agricultural parks and stronger farmer-to-market linkages.

“These initiatives will enhance farmers’ incomes, increase value-added output and build a more resilient and sustainable agri-food ecosystem,” he said.

Also present at the event were the ministry’s deputy ministers Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail and Datuk Martin Ben; Sarawak Research Science advisor Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang; advisor in the Sarawak Premier’s Office (Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development) Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom; and the ministry’s permanent secretary Datu Sirai Daha.