The community of Tawang Baa here celebrated the successful harvest of their paddy cultivation project during a Community Paddy Harvest Programme held recently.
The initiative, a collaboration between Sarawak Skills and Yayasan Hasanah, aims to empower rural communities through sustainable agricultural activities while supporting efforts to strengthen food security in the state.
The event was attended by Member of Parliament for P198 Puncak Borneo, Datuk Willie Mongin, who joined the local community in harvesting the paddy and observing the progress of the community-based agricultural project.
Speaking at the programme, Willie expressed his appreciation to Sarawak Skills and Yayasan Hasanah for their commitment in supporting the development of agricultural capacity within the community.
He highlighted that the project focuses on paddy cultivation, with a sustainable plan that also includes developing eco-tourism initiatives. He also commended the project for contributing to the strengthening of the paddy industry’s capacity building in Sarawak, noting that four youths from the Tawang Baa community have been selected to undergo a two-year programme of Malaysian Skills Certificate Level 3 training programme at the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) in Kedah.
“Through this initiative, four youths from the Tawang Baa area have been given the opportunity to undergo formal training in paddy cultivation at MADA Kedah. Once they complete their training, they will return to the community and serve as trainers to guide and share their knowledge with local residents in managing and expanding the paddy cultivation programme,” he said.
Willie added that such efforts are important in ensuring the sustainability of community-based agricultural projects while empowering the younger generation with valuable skills.
“Programmes like this not only help increase local food production but also create opportunities for rural communities to generate additional income. At the same time, they empower local youths with skills that can benefit their communities in the long term,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mr. Hallman bin Sabri, Sarawak Skills Executive Director said the programme reflects the organisation’s commitment to implementing community-based initiatives that create meaningful and sustainable impact for local communities.
“Sarawak Skills remains committed to supporting programmes that empower communities through skills development and sustainable economic activities. Through our collaboration with Yayasan Hasanah and the strong participation of the Tawang Baa community, we hope to strengthen rural livelihoods while contributing to food security,” he said.
Mr. Hallman bin Sabri also expressed appreciation to Datuk Willie Mongin for his continued support and presence at the programme, noting that such support provides encouragement to both the implementing organisations and the local community.
He also thanked several government agencies for their support in the programme, including the Ministry of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Sarawak (MFICORD), the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Sarawak (MEITD), and the Sarawak Agriculture Department.
According to him, their support has played an important role in facilitating the implementation of the paddy cultivation initiative and strengthening community-based agricultural activities in the area.
The programme highlighted the strong commitment of the Tawang Baa community, whose active participation has contributed to the success of the project.
Through initiatives such as this, Sarawak Skills and Yayasan Hasanah hope to encourage more rural communities to explore agriculture as a sustainable livelihood while supporting broader efforts to strengthen food security in Sarawak.
Also present were Madam Know Atok, Senior Principal Assistant Sectretary, MFICORD, and Madam Juiata binti Akaw, Chief Human Resources Officer, Hornbill Skyways cum member of Sarawak Skills Management Council.
