PAKAN: Pakan assemblyman Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom has encouraged longhouse folk to shift from subsistence farming to modern agriculture.
He said that opportunities to venture into the field of modern agriculture were now abundantly provided by the government.
According to him, the Ministry of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development headed by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas had plans and strategies to develop modern agriculture which could upgrade the socio-economic status of the rural population.
He further explained that the construction of the airport at Bebuling, Spaoh, Betong was to facilitate the marketing of agricultural products from local farmers, including those in Pakan.
“Marketing of agricultural products can also be done online. It can be said that all of us have smartphones now.
“This is not just for entertainment, as mobile phones can be used to market agricultural products,” he said when officiating at the Agricultural Community Outreach Programme at Rh Saba, Nunggang on Tuesday.
Mawan added that 97 percent of Pakan constituency now had road and electricity access while about 60 percent had a clean water supply.
He said that good road networks connecting agricultural areas to urban centres were the key to developing the modern agricultural sector.
“All opportunities to trade in agricultural products are now provided by the government. Are we ready to venture into business-based agriculture?” he asked.
He also said that tuai rumah (longhouse chiefs) played a role in encouraging those under their care to be involved in modern agriculture.
“Our agricultural products now have great potential to be a catalyst of change in the rural areas,” said Mawan.
