The Sarawak Ministry of Food Industry, Commodities and Regional Development (M-FICORD), in collaboration with the Sarawak Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD), Sarawak Skills, and the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA), has organised an Engagement Session for the Rice Production Operations Supervision Programme as part of efforts to strengthen local talent development in the agricultural sector, particularly the rice industry in Sarawak. This programme is designed to encourage youth participation in modern agricultural skills and to enhance the capacity of a skilled workforce across the rice production value chain.
Through this initiative, 25 local youths have been selected to undergo a fully sponsored training programme at the MADA Rice Training Centre (MRTC) starting in January 2026. Participants will receive intensive training covering rice cultivation technology, farm operations management, agricultural mechanisation, and industry best practices, with the aim of producing a competent and competitive workforce.
According to Mr. Mohd Huzaifi bin Kamaruddin, Manager of the Accredited MADA Rice Training Centre (MRTC), the programme is planned to develop a new generation of professionals in rice production supervision and operations, as well as knowledgeable rice entrepreneurs capable of adapting modern agricultural technologies. He emphasised that human capital development is a critical element in ensuring the sustainability of the national rice industry.
The engagement sessions also included briefing talks, question-and-answer sessions, and open interviews. The programme received an overwhelmingly positive response from the local community, particularly youths in Padawan and Sri Aman. The first session was held on 1 December 2025 at the Puncak Borneo Community Service Centre, while the second session took place on 3 December 2025 at the Lingga Multipurpose Hall.
Mr. Syed Ismail bin Wan Drahman, Head of the Smallholder and Commercial Rice Growers Unit at M-FICORD, expressed hope that more youths would come forward to venture into rice cultivation. He stressed that youth participation is crucial in producing future skilled personnel and project managers who can drive the development of Sarawak’s rice sector in the future.
As part of efforts to strengthen strategic cooperation, M-FICORD and MADA also conducted official visits to Sarawak Skills Headquarters and Sarawak Skills Sri Aman. The visits aimed to review training facilities, discuss potential long-term collaboration, and ensure better alignment for more effective implementation of training programmes.
Registration for this programme remains open until 10 January 2026.
Local youths interested in joining the programme may contact the Sustainable Engagement Unit at the following numbers: (Kuching) 011-2992 9916 (Linda), 019-898 7039 (Dympna), 014-873 0636 (Ian); (Sri Aman) 014-884 3143 (Dexter), 016-808 2340 (Missey).
