Make agriculture a business venture, Jamit tells farmers
KAPIT: The farming community here are advised to take agriculture seriously as a business venture.
Speaking at the ‘Majlis Malam Mesra’ organised by the Kapit Area Farmers Organisation (PPK) that was held at a restaurant here recently, Bukit Goram assemblyman Jefferson Jamit Unyat informed that a successful agricultural activity can generate good income.
“Think of agriculture as business as it is able to generate handsome income. For the long term, venture into commercial farming to plant cash crops like pepper and rubber, fresh water fish rearing, poultry farming, livestock breeding and fruit cultivation while for the short term go into vegetable cultivation which suits Kapit’s rugged terrain with numerous rivers and streams plant ‘daun sapun’ and ‘ensabai’ which are in great demand,” he said.
He called on the PPK committee to organise a workshop on what are the most suitable and profitable agricultural activities in Kapit, pointing out that Kapit is famous for ‘buah dabai’ which should be planted on a bigger and commercial scale in view of the suitable land and its good price.
Besides that, he called on the farming community here to use modern farming methods to cultivate bigger areas in a shorter time and increase production.
He envisaged that Tunoh in interior Baleh and the Nanga Merit Drainage and Irrigation Scheme could become the ‘ rice bowl’ of Sarawak because they have suitable land for commercial farming if properly developed.
In addition, he mentioned that the government was now focussing on rural development by building roads, other infrastructure and providing amenities.
“Roads provide easy and convenient mode of transport and land owners should seize the opportunity to open up their land for agriculture. Relevant agencies like Malaysian Pepper Board, Rubber Research and Development Authority), Agriculture Department and so on have come up with various agriculture schemes and assistance to help farmers cultivate their land - for example planting of new cloned rubber trees, pepper cultivation, etc. Take advantage of the available facilities to go into agriculture as a business activity to generate bigger income,” Jamit told the some 200 PPK members attending the dinner.
Also speaking were PPK chairman Joseph Jinggut and Kapit Agriculture Department assistant director Badin Unor.
Others attending the dinner were Fama Kapit general manager Erong Teli, Kapit Resident’s Office administrative officer Rolyn Terrance Janting and Kapit OCPD DSP Freddy Bian.