WWF-Malaysia, Antares Ventures ink MoA to promote, market Ba Kelalan’s highland rice

KUCHING (Nov 17): World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia) and Antares Ventures Sdn Bhd have formalised their collaboration through a memorandum of agreement (MoA) inked at the latter’s office here yesterday.

The agreement aims to promote and market highland rice from Ba Kelalan under the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) paddy planting programme initiated by WWF-Malaysia.

WWF-Malaysia associate director for Sarawak and Conservation Science Dr Jason Hon highlighted the long-standing efforts of WWF-Malaysia in promoting sustainable rice farming through the SRI method.

“For many years, WWF-Malaysia has been promoting sustainable rice farming using the SRI method, which has seen improved yields of almost two-fold. The number of farmers switching to SRI technique is now more than 50, from a humble beginning of just two back in 2017.

“We hope that their rice can now be better marketed not only within Sarawak, but also elsewhere. This can then incentivise the people of Ba Kelalan to continue practising sustainable farming that will eventually help conserve the environment, especially their water sources,” he said.

The MoA was signed during the ‘Sarawak Specialty Rice Export to Singapore’ event, where a container carrying Sarawak’s distinctive heirloom and indigenous rice varieties was ceremoniously flagged off for the Singaporean market by end of this month.

The MoA signatories were Hon and Antares Ventures Sdn Bhd managing director Brendan Kon.

Present to witness the signing ceremony were Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (Statos) Finance, Corporate Affairs, Trade and Investment manager Kenny Lau Tien Hong and Sarawak Agro Fund manager Vincent Mambu.

Kon expressed enthusiasm about the historic moment, emphasising the unique flavours of indigenous rice and the company’s dedication to sustainable agricultural practices.

“We are thrilled to be part of this historic moment as we embark on the journey of exporting Sarawak’s specialty rice to Singapore.

“This endeavour not only showcases the unique flavours of our indigenous rice but also emphasises our dedication to sustainable agricultural practices,” he said.

Antares Ventures has been a trailblazer in championing the conservation of traditional rice varieties and advancing the local paddy industry in Sarawak.

The company holds the distinction of being the first and only in Sarawak to be granted a specialty rice export licence by Kawalselia Padi and Beras, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (Mafi).

Offering a diverse array of value-added rice-related food products, including vermicelli, rice beverages, and baby food, Antares Ventures is at the forefront of preserving Sarawak’s rich agricultural heritage.

Statos played a crucial role in facilitating Antares Ventures’ entry into the Singaporean market.

Recognised for providing advisory services to traders, investors, and tourism industry players, Statos has been instrumental in connecting Antares to the Singapore market.

The MoA exchange with WWF-Malaysia further emphasises the Antares Ventures’ commitment to sustainable practices and collaborative efforts towards the promotion of highland rice cultivation.

Notably, Antares Ventures pledges to contribute RM1 from every pack sale of their heirloom rice to the conservation efforts led by WWF-Malaysia, marking a significant step in supporting environmental initiatives through responsible business practices.