• Boosting production for crops and agricultural products

Meanwhile, some of the agriculture produce that can be farm by the rural community include pineapple, pepper, oil palm, and so forth.

Under the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP), Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board LPNM has applied for seven projects totalling RM102.6 million.

Out of this amount, RM25 million would be allocated to Sarawak for pineapple plantation.

Uggah also believed pineapple plantation in which majority is planted in Sarikei is going to become a game changer in the state and is able to help eradicate poverty in the rural areas

“It will be a rural and community-based industry aimed at eradicating hardcore poverty.

“The state fully supports the industry.

“We have set up a task force to coordinate programmes for economic development in the rural areas.

Besides pineapples, Sarikei is also famous for its oranges, vegetables, pepper and oil palm.

As Sarawak aspired to turn Sarikei town into a hub for food production, the state government has taken several initiatives.

Assistant Minister for Rural Economy ( Coastal Areas) and Fisheries Datuk Julaihi Narawi said the state government will impelement several programme at the town.

Those programmes which involved an allocation of about RM2.5 million comprised fruit industry development, agriculture diversification, agro- based industry and home economics, livestock development and aquaculture development.

For livestock development, rabbit breeding has the identified as one of the activities to increase the revenue of the rural communities in Sarawak who are still dependent on commodity crops.

Uggah during a visit to a rabbit farm in Bintangor said the market for rabbit meat is extensive and with adequate supply, it will be able to penetrate foreign markets.

He believed a farmer who is raising 100 rabbits can get a net return of more than RM3,000 a month.

“This is an opportunity for rural communities to increase their source of income and not just rely on commodity crops with fluctuating market prices.

He added that to ensure the success of the business, there must be a field used as an ‘anchor farm’ which not only purchases rabbits from breeders but also provides livestock breeding courses.

The role, he said, can be played by the Golden Rabbit Farm which currently has more than 5,300 rabbits and supplies about 2.5 tonnes of rabbit meat a month to the local market.

“The State Veterinary Department can come up with rabbit breeding courses and we will focus on rural communities in the Sarikei Division before expanding to other parts,” Uggah added.

Apart from that, Uggah said the state government will increase the number of deep sea fish landing as the industry is poised to have vast potential that could support the development of downstream fishery industries.

He noted Sarawak’s deep sea fisheries is yet to realise its full potential and presently contributed 22 per cent of fish landings in 2015, equivalent to 32,000 metric tonnes.

Uggah believed the potential yield of the industry is projected at 500,000 metric tonnes per year.