MUKAH: Agricultural assistance is routinely handed out to those engaged in the sector but there is no data on the impact of such assistance as yet.
Assistant Minister of Corporate Affairs, Information and Sarawak Public Communications Unit (UKAS), Datuk Abdullah Saidol, said a detailed study was therefore in order to determine its effectiveness and socio-economic impact on the recipients.
“We don’t want such assistance to just look pretty on paper without any change to the income levels of farming families,” he said at the Agriculture Community Outreach Programme (AgriCOP) organised by the Mukah Agriculture Department at the Tekajong Community Hall in Pulau Bruit, Daro on Wednesday (Jan 19).
In this regard, he hoped the state government would continue the AgriCOP and other assistance programmes, with larger allocations, so that the government’s intention to create more food supply areas could be achieved.
“Lately, gardening and farming activities are becoming more popular and ventured into by the youths with more modern and productive methods.
“That is why knowledge enlightenment sessions on various aspects of agriculture are very important.
“Assistance of various agricultural inputs or equipment must be precise to target committed and potential recipients.
“Many fertile coastal areas have the potential to be used as agricultural and marine food suppliers or agricultural parks.
“These areas also have the potential to be tourist attractions,” he pointed out.
In this regard, Abdullah, who is Semop assemblyman, called on young people under his constituency to form associations so that various programmes or assistance can be managed or coordinated effectively in groups.
He added he was committed to always support and assist in obtaining appropriate allocations, including empowering the role of women in processing agricultural produce into crackers, chips and others.
Through this, he said, women can also help their husbands increase their family income during the monsoon season.
According to him, in the next two years, the road connection in Pulau Bruit to the surrounding areas would be better, especially with the completion of two connecting bridges to the island.
“Therefore, I really hope that Pulau Bruit, especially in the Rural Growth Centre (RGC) area, will have a large business site for retail and wholesale activities in the central zone for seafood and agricultural products from all over Pulau Bruit, including the surrounding areas,” he said.
