BINTULU – Sarawak has officially taken a bold step into the era of modern agriculture with the launch of the Sungai Sebiew Precision Farming Park, marking the beginning of a state-wide transformation in the sector.
The Groundbreaking Ceremony, held at the Sungai Sebiew Agricultural Training Centre (ATC) on Tuesday morning, was officiated by the Minister of Food Industry, Commodities and Regional Development (M-Ficord), Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.
“We need to transform this area into a major platform to stabilise and modernise the agricultural sector,” he said. “Our focus is on youth engagement. Modern agriculture is the future.”
The 13-hectare development will introduce precision farming technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), enabling farmers to manage crops and livestock remotely while supporting Sarawak’s digitalisation agenda.
Dr Rundi also disclosed that the Sarawak Agriculture Department (DOA) is currently refining plans for a 1,000-hectare agro park, which will serve as a key site for large-scale integrated agriculture.
He emphasised that success would depend more on quality and sustainability rather than land size alone.
“The size of the land is not the main factor — it’s about how sustainably and efficiently we can use it. Our goal is to outperform similar projects like those in Rampangi,” he added.
The initiative is backed by M-Ficord, the Sarawak Agriculture Department, and the Sarawak Land Development Board (SLDB).
During a post-event press conference, Dr Rundi stressed that self-sufficient subsistence farming was no longer viable in today’s economy and should be replaced by commercial-scale agriculture to yield higher returns.
He cited the livestock sector as a growing opportunity, noting that Sarawak has already exported 2,000 pigs per week to Singapore and sold 800 pigs to Selangor, generating over RM1.83 million, positioning the state as a clean exporter of live livestock.
“This high demand opens the door for us to generate consistent state revenue through commercial agriculture,” he said.
