Dr Rundi: Sarawak's agricultural future lies in tech adoption, export drive

Borneo Post

5 days ago

Dr Rundi speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Sungai Sebiew Precision Farming Park today.
BINTULU (July 28): Sarawak is accelerating its drive to become a net food exporter through the integration of smart farming and Internet of Things (IoT) technology, with the Sungai Sebiew Precision Farming Park set to become a model for sustainable, technology-driven agriculture in the state.
Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said the 13-hectare site will focus on high-quality production using modern precision farming methods instead of traditional practices.
'It's not about the size of the land, but the quality of the products. With smart farming using IoT, we can increase productivity, improve efficiency and ensure sustainability,' he said during a press conference after officiating the groundbreaking ceremony for the precision farming park today.
The project, which has been in planning since 2022, has now been awarded to a contractor who has already begun site-clearing works.
Dr Rundi, who is the Sarawak Land Development Board (SLDB) chairman, said lessons learned from previous pilot projects such as in Rampangi would be improved and applied in Sungai Sebiew.
He acknowledged the challenges of attracting youth to agriculture, which is often viewed as a physically demanding and unappealing sector.
'We can no longer rely on muscle and sweat. Most of our current farmers are ageing, and young people are reluctant to work under the sun. But agriculture today is no longer the 3Ds – dangerous, difficult and dirty. It's digital,' he said.
He added with IoT, farming can be done remotely, allowing people to monitor their farms from home.
Dr Rundi stressed that this is the kind of modern approach that the government wants local agropreneurs to adopt.
He emphasised the importance of understanding the objective of technological adoption among farmers.
'Farmers must understand why we are doing this and what the technology is for. It's not about forcing them, we want them to take the initiative, because only then will they commit to making it sustainable,' he said.
He said the state's long-term agricultural strategy is moving away from subsistence and shifting cultivation to commercialisation, agro-tourism, and value-added activities to boost income.
He also highlighted Sarawak's recent success in exporting live pigs to Peninsular Malaysia.
'Just a few days ago, we sent our first shipment of 800 live pigs to Selangor, valued at about RM1.38 million. One pig is worth roughly RM1,700,' he said.
He said Sarawak is also exporting to Singapore and receiving inquiries from Johor and Penang for livestock and aquaculture products such as poultry, fish, and shrimp.
'The potential is huge. We want Sarawak to be a hub for net food exports. But this can only happen if we are willing to adopt and adapt to new technologies,' he said.
Drawing a comparison, Dr Rundi pointed to Taiwan as an inspiring model.
'Taiwan is much smaller than Sarawak and has 75 per cent mountainous terrain, yet they are a net food exporter. If they can do it, so can we. But we must be willing to learn, adapt, and innovate,' he said.
Dr Rundi also noted the urgency of reducing Sarawak's food import-export deficit, which was RM5.6 billion in 2022, and remains substantial.
'We import too much, animal feed, raw materials these are areas where we must cut dependency. That's why the agriculture sector needs to evolve and improve to generate better revenue for Sarawak,' he stressed.
He called for a collaborative approach between researchers, policymakers, and farmers to continuously innovate and strengthen Sarawak's agricultural resilience.
The Sungai Sebiew Precision Farming Park is expected to become a catalyst for future smart agriculture developments across Sarawak, tailored to the topography, land suitability, and community capabilities in each region.
'This is the way forward if we want to secure our future and realise Sarawak's dream of becoming a net food exporter,' said Dr Rundi.
First conceptualised and announced in 2022, the Sungai Sebiew Precision Farming Park represents SLDB's commitment to bridging the gap between traditional agriculture and modern agri-tech.
Following thorough planning, inter-agency coordination, and regulatory compliance, the project now officially enters the implementation phase.
The site will be developed into a smart agricultural hub equipped with 11 units of IoT-enabled greenhouses, a nursery and seedling propagation area, post-harvest preparation and handling zones, and an IoT command centre to monitor and manage real-time farm operations.
The project will be developed over a period of 18 months, and once completed, will be operated by a private investor under a Public-Private Partnership model.
The operator will also offer training, technology transfer, and contract farming opportunities to local participants, making this a community-integrated agricultural platform.
This initiative directly supports Sarawak's agenda for smart farming adoption, youth agropreneurship development and economic empowerment of rural communities. Dr Stephen Rundi Utom lead precision farming