KUCHING: A total of 12 private companies have registered their interest in commercial padi cultivation projects in Sarawak, which is one of the strategies the state government undertook to become a net rice exporter by 2030.
Sarawak Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said all these projects would be carried out on state lands utilising the design, build, operate and transfer (DBOT) model.
“This is part of our plan to modernise and commercialise paddy farming by involving both the public and private sectors,” he said when winding up for his ministry at the State Legislative Assembly here, today.
Rundi said the DBOT model incorporates the design and construction of necessary infrastructures, the use of modern technology and machinery for farming, and then, eventually, the transfer of management to local stakeholders for long-term sustainability.
“Currently, the state financial secretary is preparing standardised DBOT guidelines and a standard operating procedure to ensure a clear framework for this project,” he said.
Meanwhile, large-scale paddy cultivation on native customary rights (NCR) land will be implemented through private sector participation via leasing or joint venture models.
Rundi said this would require engagement and consent from the landowners as active involvement and continuous support from them and other stakeholders was pertinent to achieving self-sufficiency in Sarawak.
“Through unity, collective effort and God willing, we can successfully achieve our goals in the paddy development industry for economic resilience and, of course, food security,” he added.
