RM1-mln AFF project to benefit 4,282 farmers in Dudong

The RM1-million Agriculture Facilitation Fund (AFF) project for Dudong state constituency is set to benefit 4,282 local farmers, says a political secretary to the chief minister Romeo Christopher Tegong.

In giving the breakdown of the AFF, he said the bulk of it would go to Agriculture Development Programme (ADP) farm unit in the form of 157.5 units of Knapsack sprayers worth RM787,919; RM20,000 for vegetables open system; RM15,000 for fruits rehabilitation; and RM177,081 for repair works on three farm roads.

“The agriculture facilitation programme is meant to channel assistance in the forms of subsidies to farmers, as well as incentives and grants to agropreneurs, private companies, non-profit organisations, institutions and farmers organisations involved in the development of the agriculture sector in Sarawak,” Romeo told reporters after presenting the AFF to the participants from Dudong constituency yesterday.

Adding on, he said a mechanism had been put in place to ensure that the AFF would directly benefit the target group.

“All applications (for the AFF) would be vetted as we want to ensure that only those who genuinely require the assistance would benefit from it,” he stressed.

Earlier, Romeo handed over AFF worth RM1 million to participants from Bawang Assan constituency in Sungai Bidut here. He said the state government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, had always been ‘peoplecentric’.

“The state government is sensitive to the needs of the people, particularly the rural folk who rely on farming for their livelihood. AFF is to better assist the farmers in the rural areas in improving their output,” he added,

Among those present yesterday were a political secretary to chief minister Daniel Bujal, Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) deputy chairman Wong Ching Yong, Councillor Teo Boon Siew, Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) vice-treasurer Dato Sri Lau Kueng Chai and Agriculture Department Sarawak senior assistant officer Stephen Umping.

Romeo (back, fifth left) symbolically hands over the AFF to Tuai Rumah Kayak Ngindang of Ulu Salim in Sibu, witnessed by Lau, Wong, Teo (back – second left, fourth left and seventh left, respectively) and others.