SIBU: The Sarawak Agriculture Department (SAD) has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that every planning and implementation of the state’s agricultural sector programmes is always in line with the aspirations of the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.
Its director, Dominic Chunggat, said the department’s role is not just to implement agricultural development projects, but rather to act as a strategic link between government policies and the people’s needs in realising the sustainable development agenda, based on technology and innovation.
He said this at the SAD’s Appreciation Dinner which was also attended by Food Industry, Commodities and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, and Deputy Food Industry, Commodities and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Martin Ben, at a prominent hotel here on Friday night.
According to Dominic, the PCDS 2030 outlines a clear direction to make Sarawak a net exporter of food by 2030, thus strengthening the state’s food security and safety.
“In this regard, all department staff need to ensure that every initiative, from the planning stage to implementation on the ground, supports the transformation agenda of modern agriculture that is sustainable and competitive,” he said.
He explained that Sarawak’s agricultural landscape has now evolved from a subsistence system to commercial agriculture and is now shifting to a modern approach based on technology, innovation and data, in line with the development thrust of PCDS 2030.
Throughout last year, the department recorded various achievements, including a series of Agrofest events in several parts of the state which successfully increased the knowledge and income of the farming community, in addition to stimulating rural economic activities.
He said that the expansion approach implemented by the department also placed emphasis on technology transfer, technical guidance and continuous support to farmers and industry players so that they are better prepared to face challenges such as climate change, labour shortages and increasing agricultural input costs.
“The transformation of the agricultural sector will not be achieved without comprehensive commitment from all levels of the organisation. We need to be more proactive, adaptive and innovative so that all targets outlined in PCDS 2030 can be realised,” he said.
He added that the department’s success in being listed in the Top 9 Finalists for the Department’s Gold Award category in conjunction with the Sarawak Public Service Quality Award (AKPANS) 2025 proved the department’s capabilities in terms of excellent governance, operations and service delivery.
Dominic called on all department staff to continue to move as a united and integrity-based team, ensuring that the SAD’s role is always in line with the aspirations of PCDS 2030 for the progress of the agricultural sector and the well-being of the people of this state.
