IN the bustling markets of Satok or the quiet morning tamu in Serian, the sights and smells of Sarawak’s bounty – midin, terung asam, and local rice – often mask a growing, silent anxiety.
While our tables still groan under the weight of delicious food, the foundation of how that food gets there is shifting.
In 2026, food security is no longer a distant academic concept; it is a kitchen-table issue for every Sarawakian
The current reality: Winds of change
Nationally, Malaysia remains heavily reliant on food imports, with our import bill reaching staggering heights – surpassing RM78 billion in recent years.
For us in Sarawak, the situation is unique. While we are blessed with vast land and a rich tradition of subsistence farming, we are not immune to global shocks.
Recent reports indicate that nearly 37 per cent of households in Sarawak experience some form of food insecurity, ranging from worrying about where the next meal comes from to reducing the quality of their diet.
We’ve seen this play out recently with the rising prices of imported beef and poultry feed, which pushed the cost of a simple family dinner higher than many can comfortably afford.
Even our staple, rice, has faced pressure; in late 2025 and early 2026, erratic weather patterns – extreme dry spells followed by unpredictable floods – disrupted paddy planting in Sarawak, leading to concerns over local supply and price stability.
Why is this happening?
The “why” is a complex recipe of global and local ingredients:
- Climate change: Our predictable monsoon seasons are gone. Farmers in areas like Sri Aman and Betong now face “weather whiplash” – heavy rains that drown seedlings followed by heatwaves that parched the soil.
- Import reliance: We import roughly 75 per cent of our cereal needs and a massive portion of our meat. When global supply chains break or “food nationalism” rises (where countries stop exporting to protect their own people), Sarawak feels the pinch at the grocery store.
- The “ageing” farmer: The average age of a farmer in Sarawak is rising. Many of our youth prefer the “gig economy” or office jobs in Major Town in Sarawak such as in Kuching, Bintulu & Miri, viewing agriculture as “kerja kotor” (dirty work) rather than a high-tech career.
- Infrastructure gaps: In many rural interior areas, the food is grown but getting it to the urban centres remains a logistical nightmare. High transport costs often mean food rots in the field while city dwellers pay premium prices.
The Sarawakian strategy: How we mitigate
The Sarawak Government has pivoted sharply toward the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, with a massive RM300-million allocated in the 2026 budget to modernise agriculture. The goal is clear: transform Sarawak from a net importer to a net exporter of food.
Key initiatives include:
- Smart farming: The development of SARTECH (Sarawak Agrotechnology Park) and Precision Farming Parks. We are moving toward IoT-enabled greenhouses where water and nutrients are managed by sensors, reducing waste and increasing yield.
- Paddy granaries: Nine new paddy granary projects are being rolled out across the state, aimed at boosting our self-sufficiency in rice so we don’t have to rely on the whims of international markets.
- Indigenous resources: There is a renewed focus on our “superfoods” – terung assam, Bario rice, dabai and local Sarikei pineapples. By commercialising these, we provide rural communities with stable incomes and preserve our agricultural heritage.
What can we do? The community’s role
Policy and technology are only half the battle. As a local community, we are the heart of the solution. Food security starts with us as a Sarawakian.
- Support local “tamu”: When you buy from a local farmer at the morning market, you aren’t just buying a cucumber; you’re investing in a local supply chain that is resilient to global shipping delays.
- Embrace modern farming: We need to change the narrative. Farming in 2026 involves drones, data and entrepreneurship. We must encourage our youth to see agriculture as a “sexy”, profitable business.
- Urban gardening and social cohesion: Research shows that communities with high “social cohesion” – where neighbours share resources and knowledge – are significantly more food secure. Whether it’s a community garden in a Kuching housing estate or shared edible landscapes, local self-reliance is our best defense.
- Reduce waste: Household food waste remains a major leak in our security. Planning meals and utilising traditional preservation methods (like pekasam or drying) perhaps can stretch our resources further.
Conclusion: A resilient future
For Sarawakians, food is more than sustenance; it is our identity and our culture.
From the Lun Bawang mountains to the coastal Melanau villages, we have always known how to live off the land.
By blending that traditional wisdom with 21st-century technology and a “buy local” mindset, we can ensure that the Land of the Hornbills remains a land of plenty for generations to come.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune.
