‘Learned Dayaks should share experience with rural folk’
KUCHING: Educated Dayaks should share their experience with longhouse folks on how to economically improve their livelihood when they go back to their respective villages during Gawai.
With knowledge, small producers can have a competitive footing with larger farm operations and corporate agriculture. Small producers will also have the flexibility to quickly change crop choices, develop products for small niche markets, and even market directly to the consumer or commodity broker. Datuk William Nyallau Badak, Lubok Antu MP
Lubok Antu MP Datuk William Nyallau Badak said this was important because educated Dayakshavebettercommunication capabilities which enable them to access, analyse and share the information required to create knowledge to longhouse folks who are mostly farmers.
“With knowledge, small producers can have a competitive footing with larger farm operations and corporate agriculture. Small producers will also have the flexibility to quickly change crop choices, develop products for small niche markets, and even market directly to the consumer or commodity broker,”
“The government has so far been improving rural basic infrastructures, socio- economic wellbeing and increasing the level of education of the rural community. Educated Dayaks can contribute to the development of the rural areas in the state by sharing their knowledge,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.
Nyallau also hoped that Dayaks in the rural areas will make use of their Native Customary Rights ( NCR) land to ensure they have a stable and long-term income.
This is because the Bumiputera, especially the Ibans in Lubok Antu, have a lot of undeveloped land that can be planted with cash crops such as oil palm, rubber and others.
“Most folk in rural areas in Lubok Antu have no other assets apart from their land. Thus, they should make full use of what they have to improve their livelihood,” he said.
Apart from agriculture, Nyallau opined that Dayaks can also choose to venture into commerce as a way to improve their livelihood.
Most recently, Nyallau was at Skim Skrang, Sri Aman last week to officiate at the closing ceremony of the Gawai Dayak bazaar.
A ‘Pekit Kumang’ beauty contest was also held in conjunction with the ceremony.