THE Ministry of Food Industry, Commodity, and Regional Development has identified 11,700 hectares of land across Sarawak for paddy cultivation as of May this year to boost local rice production and achieve food self-sufficiency.
Its Minister Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said of this, eight projects under State Land covering 2,000 hectares in Kuching, Serian, Sri Aman, Kapit, and Limbang have been approved.
“The Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) Sarawak is currently preparing for a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) survey to gather topographic data, scheduled for completion by the fourth quarter of this year,” he said.
He said this is his ministerial winding-up speech at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today (May 27).
Dr Rundi said his ministry aims to expand dedicated paddy cultivation areas on State Land to at least 3,300 hectares by the end of 2025.
“Simultaneously, efforts are underway to develop Native Customary Rights (NCR) land for the same purpose,” he said.
Over the past six months, he said 28 potential NCR land sites covering 9,700 hectares have been identified and the ministry has conducted 24 dialogue and outreach sessions involving about 1,200 participants to ensure community consent and participation in development plans.
“Besides intensifying expansion through large-scale paddy cultivation, my ministry also actively enhances small-scale paddy cultivation, especially within DID’s existing paddy schemes.
“According to recent agricultural statistics, the number of registered paddy farmers has dropped significantly from approximately 72,800 in 2022 to 48,000 in 2024.
“In response to this trend, I strongly urge farmers in Sarawak to actively participate in paddy cultivation, and call upon the younger generation of Sarawak to embrace modern and efficient farming methods for paddy production,” he said.
To empower smallholders, he said the ministry is promoting high-yielding seed varieties, modern farming practices, and sustainable agriculture through improved irrigation, mechanisation, and training.
“A key project supporting these efforts is the 140-hectare Stumbin Paddy Seed Farm in Sri Aman, which will supply certified local paddy seeds, reducing dependency on imports.
“While awaiting production, certified seeds are sourced from Peninsular Malaysia and abroad under strict biosecurity protocols,” he said.
He added his ministry also aims to conserve Sarawak’s traditional rice varieties, recognising their cultural value, biodiversity significance, and high market demand as these heritage varieties can yield up to 3.5 metric tonnes per hectare and offer premium prices for farmers.
“Modernisation and commercialisation of paddy cultivation is also continued through upgraded DID schemes and new areas equipped with full irrigation infrastructure.
“Mechanisation services are also being extended through the farmers organisation to reach both commercial and smallholder farmers,” he said.
Learning from global best practices, he said the ministry is studying successful paddy farming models from advanced agricultural nations, particularly techniques such as crop rotation and limiting planting to one high-yield season per year to preserve soil health.
“Private sector participation is also being encouraged, with 12 companies already registered for commercial paddy projects. These ventures will follow the Design-Build-Operate-Transfer (DBOT) model to ensure infrastructure and operational sustainability,” he said.
He stressed the State Financial Secretary is currently drafting standard DBOT guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
“Meanwhile, the large-scale paddy cultivation on NCR land will be implemented through private sector participation, either via leasing or joint venture models. However, this requires engagement and consent from the landowners,” said Dr Rundi.
