KUCHING: Several initiatives are being put in place to develop the farming community in Sarawak into a high income sector by 2030.
Among them, said Department of Agriculture director Datu Lai Kui Fong, are the restructuring of the department whereby the existing functions have been regrouped and streamlined into three sectors – commercial, modernisation and service management.
He said this is to ensure that resources are optimally utilised, to reduce ‘silo’ mentality, build stronger teamwork, improve planning resources and to provide greater focus.
“We have started the new DOA (Department of Agriculture) transformation journey, using workable approaches that we believe are capable of helping us to get to the front of the pack in our effort to attain the vision of a high income farming community by 2030,” he said in his welcoming remark at the opening of DOA senior officers conference (SOC) 2016 at a leading hotel here yesterday.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is also Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture and Rural Economy, officiated at the three-day conference which will end tomorrow.
According to Lai, the change in administrative set-up concerning the Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture and Rural economy has impacted the department’s operating method, and the department was fully aware of the expanded roles, focus and strategies of the ministry to transform the farming community.
He stressed that the department must be capable of addressing externalities and multiple issues like environment, conservation, regulatory and enforcement, among others, that can adversely affect the agriculture sector.
Lai further said that the department has re-assessed the focus and strategies, particularly in the areas of modernisation and commercialisation of agriculture, planning processes and human capital and development in line with the department’s new initiatives.
“In addition to this, the new DOA implementation taskforce was formed in 2015 with the main task to ensure the effectiveness of the new framework to intensify modernisation and commercialisation of agriculture,” he pointed out, adding that the department would also revise its strategic 2013-2020 plan in the first quarter of next year.
Meanwhile, the three-day conference is attended by 130 senior officers from the department and Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture and Rural Economy, the general manager of State Farmers Organisation and agriculture officers from Sabah.