KUCHING: The state government is keen to collaborate with Yunnan Agriculture University (YAU) in China’s Yunnan Province to transform the agricultural sector. Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said among other things, the university had over 70 years’ tradition of teaching and research in agricultural science and technology. He said this after receiving a courtesy call by the university’s president Professor Sheng Jun and his five-member delegation at his office here yesterday.
The delegation was accompanied by China’s Consul General to Sarawak Cheng Guang Zhong and his officers. Uggah said his Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land, and Regional Development was looking at possible collaboration with YAU on biotechnology and in big data sharing in the agricultural sector. “We are in the process of transforming the sector.
We are embarking on modern farming where high technology will be a tool,” he said. He said of special interest to the state is the production of honey by stingless honey bees (known locally as “kelulut”). “This is something new to us but it has a huge potential as an industry. “Not much is known about it although Universiti Putra Malaysia had done research on it,” he said. Uggah added that the production of the honey could become one of the most important economic activities to diversify the activities and increase the income of smallholders. “In addition, this collaboration will allow us to penetrate the very big China market,” he said.
Uggah said he would tell Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg about the proposed collaboration. He also hoped to send a delegation to visit the university to find out more about its biotechnology research, achievements and big data processing in the agricultural sector. In his speech, Sheng said his university was very interested in developing the “kelulut” honey industry in the state. “The ‘kelulut’ honey is one of the three most special honey types in the world which include the famous ‘manuka’ honey of New Zealand.
“With our expertise and experience, we are looking at enhancing its development. We want to develop high-end food products, bio-pharmaceutical products and other products from the honey,” he said. He said his university had around 20 different laboratories. “We will look at identifying the plants and flowers which attract the stingless bees. “These can be cultivated by the farmers,” he said, adding that Malaysian, Singaporean and China investors could participate in its development. Assistant Minister of Native Land Development Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn and Assistant Minister of Agriculture Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail were among those present during the courtesy call.
