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UPM UCTC coming to the aid of Long Semadoh villagers


By: Zaidi Tajuddin

Long Semadoh (Lawas, Sarawak), Nov 19 – Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)’s University Community Transformation Centre (UCTC) will set up a Long Semadoh Village Composting and Community Skills Centre in Lawas Parliamentary here to benefit 10 Lun Bawang villages around the constituency.

The pre-opening ceremony was done by Deputy Minister of Internal Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (KPDNKK), Dato’ Henry Sum Agong, who is the first to have been appointed as a leader from among the Lun Bawang community.

"This programme is viable, and I believe that the villagers will benefit and able to learn about agricultural practices, especially composting and agro-based processing, and subsequently, able to sell their products to generate additional income," he said in his speech when opening the event.

The event was held by UPM UCTC, together with Sarawak Forestry Department as its strategic partner. Also present were Sarawak Forestry Department Deputy Director, Jack Liam; Lawas Chief District Police, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad, and Desa Long Semadoh headman, Dennis Yahya Ating.

UPM UCTC Director, Assoc. Prof. Dr Hawa ZE Jaafar, meanwhile, said the programme was an initiative by UCTC as part of its rural transformation programme.

She said the programme would improve the socio-economic standing of Long Semadoh community through the sale of composts and agro-based products, and ensure environmental sustainability with clean surrounding areas through conservation of natural raw materials and an increase in food security for local community.



Among the activities held during the event were a culinary competition between villagers, with crackers and jams as the themes, children colouring contest and presentation of incentives for Composting Centre to the villages involved in the programme.

A day before the pre-opening, womenfolk in the village attended training and food cooking demonstration of nasi lemak and pancakes as one of the side activities. - UPM.

 


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