Sarawak is willing to spend a huge amount of money on padi cultivation to ensure self-sufficiency in the production of the staple food, said Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg. He said the state government has identified 3,000 hectares for padi cultivation, namely Tanjung Bijat, Stumbin and Lingga areas in Sri Aman; Gedong, Simunjan; and Lundu. Based on a cultivation model developed by Universiti Putra Malaysia, those areas could produce up to 240,000 tonnes of padi per annum, he said. 'That means our production of rice is there. We don't have to import rice but if you want to include Limbang-Lawas Valley plus the areas in Miri, we have excess. Then we share with Peninsular Malaysia. 'Then the whole country will have sufficient rice. This is our target as far as padi is concerned and the Sarawak government is willing to invest whatever money we have in this padi objective,' he said when closing the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Congress (COSAFS2024) here today. To achieve this, Sarawak n eeds to invest in three important components - technology, infrastructure and market access. He said the government has allocated RM500 million for irrigation in the said areas, with RM32 million channelled to implement an irrigation project in Gedong. 'And after that, we are going to improve the irrigation system in Sri Aman and Lundu,' he said. Sarawak has also allocated up to RM20 billion to improve road connectivity to the rural coastal area, with a huge amount from the state's coffers going to bridge construction. Citing an example, he said the ongoing Bintulu-Jepak Bridge project costs almost RM400 million, and when completed it will not only give access between Bintulu proper and the Jepak area but also open lands for food production up to the Tatau area. The premier stressed that while Sarawak is focused on oil and gas and downstream activities with its minerals, it is also developing other sectors, including services and agriculture, as part of its macroeconomic policies. It is hoped that this could change the economic spectrum and contribute to sustainability within the realm of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations, he added. Source: BERNAMA News Agency