Lidam (second right, holding hoe) and others plant a Liberica coffee sapling to symbolically launch the venture.
KAPIT (Nov 18): Rural land owners are encouraged to venture into the planting of commercial cash crops as a means to improve their socio-economic status.
In making the call, Lidam Assan who is political secretary to Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi, said cash crops such as pepper, oil palm and certain types of fruits are capable of generating lucrative income.
“I hope to see more rural land owners take the initiative to open up their land and embark on planting cash crops as a source of income. Doing so can help improve the socio-economic status of rural folk,” he said.
Lidam said this when officiating a coffee-planting venture by retired teacher Ayong Andam in Katibas, Song here recently.
He praised the pensioner and his family for pioneering the planting of Liberica coffee in Song, saying the decision to plant a highly sought after crop is a good move commercially.
“This is the correct approach when it comes to deciding the type of crops to plant,” he added.