SPAOH: Plans are afoot to turn Spaoh into a food production hub, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
He said making it a food production area will enable landowners and farmers to generate better income besides strengthening and promoting socio economic development in the sub-district.
“We hope to work with the Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) in starting cattle breeding in its oil palm plantations… we are also thinking of breeding goats.
“Other than that, a trial programme which has started among some farmers is the breeding of free range kampung chicken. It has been in high demand.
“We have around 3,000 families in Bukit Saban and if about 1,000 venture into this poultry farming, we certainly can produce a lot for the market,” he said.
He was speaking at the launching of Rh Jawa Nabau’s village development and security committee (JKKK), its Women Bureau and closing of a Ngajat class at the longhouse in Suri Lalang near here Saturday (May 6).
As for the rearing of pigs, he said that it was still inadvisable as the African Swine Fever was still a threat in the state.
“Therefore, on that matter, it is best to wait for the Veterinary Department’s advice,” he said.
Aside from that, the Bukit Saban assemblyman stated that another activity being promoted was the cultivation of maize as animal feed.
“Meanwhile, among the womenfolk the most popular now are traditional and modern bakery as well as traditional embroidery on Baju Dabong (kebaya) and Baju Buriek (handmade men’s and ladies wear decorated with tiny shellfish shells).
“There has been an upswell in demand for these beautiful works of art and I would like to thank the womenfolk here for closely cooperating with my wife, Datuk Doreen Mayang, in tirelessly promoting these,” he said.
Meanwhile he stated that with the airport at Bebuling under construction, Spaoh must get ready to start producing now.
“The RM296 million airport will help us reach the market in the shortest possible time. After its completion, we will also be able to look at developing our tourism sector as we do have touristy places here,” he said.
With all the positive activities going on, Uggah said they were in sync with the state government’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) as envisaged by the Premier.
“It is very close to his heart that Sarawakians can generate better income and for Sarawak to be a high income region by 2030 .
“We should give him our fullest cooperation and must remain strongly united,” he said.
