BY SARAH HAFIZAH CHANDRA & NATASHA JEE
KOTA SAMARAHAN: The Sarawak Farmers Association (PPNS) and Areas Farmers Association (PPK), under new leadership, will be restructuring their operations and planning.
Newly-appointed PPNS chairman Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail said that the restructuring was in line with the state government’s visions and policies to achieve the state’s goals in digital economy and to make Sarawak a food exporter of agriculture-based products by 2030.
“As one of the state’s government-linked companies, PPNS and PPK will restructure the direction of operations as well as short, medium and long-term planning to be in line with the state’s vision and policies.
“We will be organising a workshop for our five-year strategic planning with the involvement of relevant authorities,” he said at the earth-breaking ceremony for PPNS’ new building here today.
According to Abdul Rahman, they would work closely with private sectors that can act as anchor companies and help with product marketing.
“We will use all of the facilities provided by the state government, including the Sarawak Tourism and Trade Office Singapore, and a similar office that will be established in Brunei and Kalimantan.
“As a start, we still require financial assistance for operations, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, and for the restructuring of our five-year strategic plan 2021-2015, from the state government.”
Abdul Rahman believed that after 2025, PPNS and PPK would be able to generate sufficient income without relying heavily on the state government, and become one of the key players in Sarawak’s agriculture sector.
“I would like to express my gratitude to Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas for trusting me and proposing my name to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries.
“His recommendation led to my appointment as a member of the board of directors, and consequently as the chairman.”
He said the new building would be a hub for meetings between PPNS, PPK and other relevant parties in agriculture.
“The building will be equipped with information communication technology facilities, spaces for exhibition gallery, promotion and sales of local products for the domestic and foreign markets.”
Abdul Rahman added the building would be a catalyst for the involvement of PPNS and PPK to assist farmers, especially youths, to make agriculture a lucrative business and career.
