TELANG USAN: Farmers are urged to be involved in modern large-scale agricultural activities that generate better income.
In making the call, Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said the Dayaks especially, are hard-workers but not many have succeeded in improving the family’s socio-economic status.
“Many farmers today prefer to venture into oil palm cultivation, but not all are able to do this because planting oil palm is hard work and the price of the commodity is also unstable because it follows the world market pricing.
“Therefore, I call for the farming community to try to learn to change from small-scale farming practices to agriculture that has the potential to generate a good and stable income,” he said at the closing ceremony of AgriCOP Telang Usan district held at Kampung Long Atip, recently.
Dr Rundi also advised the Department of Agriculture to identify the needs of the farming community in the villages to discuss planting suitable crops based on the suitability of the environment, especially in flood-prone areas.
During the function, he channeled minor rural project (MRP) funds amounting to RM20,000 to Kampung Long Atip Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) and RM10,000 to Long Atip Church.
In addition, Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Labour, Immigration and Project Monitoring) Datuk Gerawat Gala also contributed a total of RM20,000 while Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau contributed RM15,000 to the Long Atip JKKK.
