Rural Development Corp still relevant to Sabah's progress

KENINGAU: Sabah's Rural Development Corporation (RDC) is still a relevant agency that can contribute to the state's revenue, says its new Chairman, Honorsius Bosuin.

He said many of the agency's important projects were financially successful, such as poultry farming which resulted in an annual revenue of RM60 million and the palm fresh fruit bunches buy and sell services which brought in RM50 million yearly.

“The mushroom and the honey bee farming projects contribute annual revenues of RM1.0 million and RM960,000 respectively.

“The agency also owns a 16hectare Moringa Kelor plantation in Tenom District with an annual production of 36 tonnes,” he added.

He told Bernama this during a visit to Malaysia's largest dairy farm here yesterday and said the development agency was also involved in dairy goat farming.

In order to boost business, Bosuin said the RDC would focus on efforts at enhancing the development of honey bee farming following encouraging response from urban customers.

“We have 600 active bee farmers and the majority are located in the north in areas such as Kudat, Kota Marudu, Pitas and Kota Belud.

“Recently, 100 (bee) farmers from Keningau joined us and this means the industry can be competitive,” he said, adding, the agency is moving towards developing Kelulut honey farming.

On his visit to the dairy farm, Bosuin said the purpose was to expose his officers to the benefits and processes of a well-managed farm to be implemented in RDC's projects.

“The ecosystem implemented in the farm owned by Adjunct Professor Datuk Yap Yun Fook is the best in Malaysia and I believe RDC needs to learn from his success in the husbandry sector,” he said.

Bosuin added that he needs three years to ensure the revitalisation of the RDC as an entity which could contribute to the state government's revenue, apart from carrying out its responsibility of improving the socio-economic standing of the rural population.