Dr Rundi (fifth right) cuts the anniversary cake. Lo is at fifth left, Robert at third right, and Lulie at second right.
KUCHING (Oct 11): The Ministry of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Sarawak has committed to allocating an annual grant to the Sarawak Agriculture Veteran Association (Sava).
Minister and Sava patron Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said he would support the association’s request for RM30,000 annually.
He said the veterans are vital to transform and change the agriculture sector for Sarawak’s future.
“The sentimental value of the passion that they have for their profession, that is something that they still have very much in them.
“Please keep it up and keep Sava alive. I will give you full support,” he said during Sava’s 10th anniversary dinner and appreciation night here yesterday.
Dr Rundi said agriculture is an important sector for the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy Plan (PCDS) 2030 and had contributed about RM12 billion to the state.
Sava president Robert Josem Nyarui said Dr Rundi had invited the association to provide advisory and consultancy services to the ministry when needed.
“As such, the matter was brought to Sava’s annual general meeting on May 22 this year and we formed the advisory and consultancy committee made up of six members headed by (former director of Agriculture) Datu Mohammed Sepuan Anu,” he said.
He added Sava has published three publications – ‘100 Years of Agricultural Development in Sarawak’, ‘Success Stories of Agricultural Undertakings’, and ‘The Way We Were in Agriculture, Sarawak’.
Also present during the celebration were Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang and Tropical Peat Research Institute Sarawak director Datu Dr Lulie Melling.