Food Security in Sarawak: Current Status and future directions

Lai K. F. and Kueh K. H. Department of Agriculture, Sarawak

SARAWAK
Area: 12.3 million ha

Coastline: 1,200 km
South China Sea

EEZ: 133,255 km2

Population: 2,516,122 (2011)

24.7% engaged in agricultural activities Population growth: 1.9% pa

Estimated area distribution by crop, 2011 Total area: 1,449,987 ha

Paddy Fruits 127,112 ha Pepper 36,992 ha (3%) (9%) 14,518 ha (1%)
Coconut 20,912 (1%) Sago 54,905 ha (4%) Vegetables 4,395 ha (0.3%) Others 11%

Rubber 158,853 ha (11%)

Oil palm 1,021,587 ha (70%)

Export value of agricultural products, 2011 Total: RM10.8 billion

Livestock 0% Fruits and vegetables 0% Fisheries Other 2% agricultural products 4% Rubber 5%

Pepper 3%
Sago 1% Coconut 0%

Oil palm RM9.2 billion 85%

Food Production: current status

Rice staple food (pcs: 79 kg) Wet and hill paddy - 127,112 ha Mainly subsistence and surplus for sale Low productivity 1.94 t/ha Import rice from Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia
RICE PRODUCTION IN SARAWAK, 1990-2012
160,000 140,000 120,000 100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0 Rice Production (mt) 60 Self-sufficiency level (%) 70

Rice sold in market

50
40 30 20 10

0 1992 2004
1990 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2006 2008 2010 2012

Year

Subsistent rice cultivation Rice Production (mt) SSL (%)

Fruit and Vegetable Production

Fruits: pineapple, durian, rambutan, banana, etc. Semi-commercial orchards Food Items Fruits Vegetable Hectarage (ha) 36,992 4,395 Production (mt) 181,951 43,885 SSL (%) 80.0 47.0 Annual pcc* (kg) 81 (72.3a) 37.3 (17.4a)

* Per capita consumption a domestic production

Livestock production 2011

Food Items Heads Production SSL (%) (mt)
59,760 750.1 mn 29.7 705.6 mt 105.0 105.0 101.7 9.4

Annual pcc* (kg)

22.6a 283.5a 17.8a 2.99 0.28a

Poultry meat Egg Pork Beef

33.3 mn 750.1 mn 371,166 14,059 (Cattle) 7,407 (Baffalo)

Mutton

16,072 (Goat) 739.3 mt 3,394 (Sheep) 161,000 L

8.0

3.8 0.3a 7.8 0.06a

Milk * per capita consumption a domestic production

0.8

Source: DOAS Statistics

Fisheries production
Mainly capture from the sea along the coastal zone Aquaculture contributes 6 to 10% of the fish consumed in Sarawak Food Items Number of Fishermen Production (mt) SSL (%) Annual pcc* (kg)

Marine fishing
Aquaculture Export

19,308
7,239

119,459
11,966 22,146

43.4a

per capita consumption a domestic production

Import Values of Agricultural Products (2002-2011)

1200000 1000000 Fisheries Livestock

800000
(RM'000)

600000
400000 200000 0

Rice
Fruits and vegetables

Responses of Government to food crisis 2007/08

surge in world food prices in 2007/2008 introduction of export restrictions by some countries on certain commodities Government developed new strategies for ensuring food security Sarawak Government Strategic Agriculture Development Plan (2013-2020)

Federal Government Food Security Policy (May 2008) National Agro-food Policy (2011-2020)

SSL targets for 2020

Item/Year SSL 2011 (%) 48.0 80.0 SSL 2020 target (%) 70.0 80.0

Crop
Paddy Fruit

Vegetables
Livestock Beef Mutton Poultry

47.0
9.4 8.0 105.0

60.0
15.0 30.0 105.0

Pork
Chicken/ duck eggs Milk Fish

101.7
105.0 0.82 43.4 kg pcc/yr

105.0
108.0 0.82 60.0 kg pcc/yr

pcc =annual per capita consumption

Sarawak Strategic Agriculture Development Plan (2013-2020)

Agro-food projects Oil-palm (ha) Rubber Paddy Tropical fruits and vegetables Cattle (heads) Buffalo Sheet and goat (heads) Poultry Pork (heads) Chicken/ duck eggs Milk Fish Strategic Plan 2 mn ha 380,000 ha New 5,200 ha granary at Btg Lupar 16,816 ha Increase pop. to 40,000 heads Increase pop. To 10,000 heads Increase pop. to 100,000 heads Increase pop. to 39.5 million heads Increase Khinzir pop. to 400,000 Increase pop. 912.8 million 0.82 Develop 12,116 ha aquaculture

pcc= annual per capita consumption; SSL= self-sufficiency level

Future directions
1. Extension of granary area
- Current - 5,200 ha granary at Btg. Lupar will the SSL slightly to 55% by 2020, which is 15% below the target - Future develop addition 17,000 ha for double cropping area to achieve target of 70% by 2020

2. Production and promotion of Sarawak specialty rice

- many traditional varieties; Bario, Bajong, Biris, Mamut,etc - Sarawak traditional rice granted GI certification = authenticity and quality potential for commercialization
Geographical Indication awarded for:
Sarawak Bario Rice 10 Mar. 2008 9 Mar. 2018 Sarawak Beras Biris 11 Feb. 2009 10 Feb. 2019 Sarawak Beras Bajong 11 Feb. 2009 10 Feb. 2019

Future directions
3. Development of Indigenous Food Resources
- Sarawak diverse in indigenous resources e.g. Jobs Tear, Dabai, miding, terong dayak high nutritional values important for local communities food security high potential for commercialisation

Cekur Manis

Terong Dayak

Durian Nyekak Selected local durian

Dabai

Isau

Future directions 4. Develop offshore fishing

- vast fish resources within its EEZ yet to be tapped - potential yields of demersal fish (79,000 mt) small pelagic fish (340,000 mt) oceanic tuna (25,000 mt) leather jacket (70,000 mt) - expansion of offshore fishing might allow increase of fish landings for sufficiency and export

5. Adopt sustainable food production systems

- Intensive agriculture degrades soil, air and water resources damages the function of an ecosystem - adoption of an ecosystem-based approach builds a resilient food production system for long term food security e.g. system of crop intensification (SCI), organic agriculture, aerobic rice

Future directions

6. Research and development

- advanced biotechnology through selecting crops resistant to pests higher nutritional content improved yield - Technology for long term preservation of food without changing its natural taste - Improved technologies for livestock to lower carbon footprint for fisheries to sustainably exploit

7. Preventing incursions of dangerous pests and diseases

- Sarawak is free of many dangerous pest and disease such as e.g. SA leaf blight, Foot-and-mouth disease and Avian influenza None should be allowed to reach the shore of Sarawak, because they could threaten long-term food security of the country

Conclusion
The Sarawak is still and continue to be depending on imported food especially rice, beef, mutton, dairy, and temperate fruits and vegetables for food security Sarawak in collaboration with the Federal Government is seriously addressing the food security issues through various strategies, food programmes and projects, and R and D initiatives.

Thank you