Batang lupar: The government has earmarked RM6.9 million in agricultural development aid for farmers in Batang Lupar, aiming to boost padi productivity and promote the integration of modern technology into farming practices, announced Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the funding will support five projects within the Batang Lupar Integrated Agricultural Development Area (IADA). These initiatives include the supply of inputs and machinery, land clearing, farm road upgrades, and drainage and irrigation system maintenance. The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry (KPKM), through IADA Batang Lupar, is committed to advancing the SMART Large-Scale Padi Field (SMART SBB) programme and facilitating collaboration among government bodies, anchor companies, and farmers.
Mohamad Sabu emphasized that IADA Batang Lupar will play a crucial role in ensuring the padi sector aligns with the government's objective of bolstering national food security. Speaking at the Sarawak Padi Wave Programme: SMART SBB and IADA Batang Lupar Customer Day 2026 event at Dewan Nangkai, Stumbin, he added that the SMART SBB initiative, which represents a public-private partnership, is designed to elevate the country's rice self-sufficiency to 80 percent by 2030, while simultaneously enhancing farmers' livelihoods through advanced, large-scale farm management.
The minister highlighted a pilot project at Block C Tanjung Bijat, initiated in the 2021 off-season, which has shown promising results with yields almost doubling from 2.8 to 5.5 tonnes per hectare. This project, a collaboration between Advansia, BERNAS, and 219 farmers across 105 hectares, demonstrates the potential for significant productivity improvements.
In addition, the federal and Sarawak state governments are actively identifying new regions to extend large-scale padi cultivation within the state. However, Mohamad Sabu noted that climate change poses a significant obstacle, disrupting planting schedules due to extended dry spells in several granary areas in Peninsular Malaysia. He expressed hope that yields could reach up to seven tonnes, provided that challenges like evolving weather patterns, including prolonged dry periods in Kedah and Perlis, are effectively managed.
The minister further mentioned that the adoption of modern technology, such as transplanters in the Tanjung Bijat project, is anticipated to enhance efficiency and productivity in padi cultivation.