agreed on an exchange programme for technological transfer on rice
production to assist Brunei in increasing its rice production,”
explained the Philippines Secretary of Agriculture, Mr. Arthur Cua Yap,
after his courtesy call on the Sultanate’s Minister of Industry &
Primary Resources.
The Agriculture
Secretary, who was on a one-day working visit to Brunei, made the
courtesy call to Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utaina Dato Seri SetiaAwg Hj
Yahya bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar, yesterday at the
ministry’s headquarters, as a follow up to His Majesty the Sultan and
Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s recent State Visit to the
Philippines, in which a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was inked in
the field of agricultural assistance.
Under the MoU, the
Philippines agreed to send its technical experts to assist in Brunei’s
strategy for producing self-sufficient rice production.
“On behalf of the Philippines delegation, I thank His
Majesty for the warm hospitality we were accorded,” said Mr. Yap, in an
interview with the Borneo Bulletin, after his visit to the Department
of Agriculture’s Wasan Rice project along Jalan Limau Manis.
When
asked about any possible follow-ups to yesterday’s meeting with the
minister, Mr. Yap said: “There are possible partnerships on ‘Halal’
certification programme and sales programme. There are also possible
sales of coconut / coir matting to help Brunei in its anti-soil erosion
effort.”
Delegates of the visiting Filipino Secretary
Agriculture include Ambassador of Philippines Virginia H Benavidez,
Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat,
Executive Director Ronilo A Beronio and Dr. Justin Arboleda from Coco
Technologies Corporation in the Philippines.
Following the courtesy call, Mr. Yap learnt more about the Brunei Halal Brand and its rice programme.
Briefings
were facilitated by the Director of Agriculture, Dyg Hjh Normah Suria
Hayati PJDSM DSU (Dr) Awg Hj Mohd Jamil Al-Sufri, as well as
representatives of the Department of Agriculture and Phil Rice and Coco
Technologies Corporation.
According to the Department of
Agriculture Brunei, Belait District is the nation’s largest paddy
producer with a total population of 530 metric tonnes – accounting for
35 per cent of input.
The Sultanate will continue to identify potential areas to be developed to boost its rice production.
New
potential areas for the growing of rice, meanwhile, have been allocated
at Junjongan Limau Manis in BruneiMuara District, Kg Supon, Keriam,
Luagan Duduk and Rambai in Tutong District, Piasau-Piasau in Temburong
District, as well as Buau, Kandol, Labi Baru and Lot Sengkuang in
Belait District.
It was learnt that potential areas of
collaboration could be research and development, introduction of high
yielding variety, introduction of high technology in rice planting,
capacity building, as well as training for farmers and extension
officers.
According to the “Rapid Strategic Assessment of the
Potential for Rice Self-Sufficiency of Brunei Darussalam”, the rice
self-sufficiency target was 3.15 per cent in 2007 It is expected to
increase up to 20 per cent by next year and up to 60 per cent by 2015.
After
a lunch reception at the Empire Hotel & Country Club yesterday, the
Philippines Secretary of Agriculture and his delegation visited the
Department of Agriculture’s Wasan Rice project along Jalan Limau Manis.
– Borneo Bulletin
