Prof. Dr. Patricia shows the selection of Bario rice found in Sarawak.

THE people on the side of Peninsular Malaysia may never taste the deliciousness of Bario rice that comes from Sarawak.

This is because the rice produced from hill paddy (highlands) in the Bario area is very difficult to find.

If it's sold on the peninsula, the price may be doubled.

Despite the modern age, Bario rice still uses traditional cultivation and production methods.

The rice still maintains organic standards with rice production free from any form of environmental pollution.

This situation makes the existence of Bario rice less well known due to its small-scale cultivation factor and cannot be marketed outside the area.

Deputy Director of Borneo Ecoscience Institute, Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Campus (UPMKB), Prof. Dr. Patricia King Jie Hung said the Bario rice cultivation ecosystem needs to be maintained as it is a Sarawak estate that needs to be fought.

“The Borneo Ecoscience Institute, UPMKB attaches great importance to sustainability to protect all types of Bario rice found in this Land of the Hornbills.

“Therefore, a thorough study will be done to find a solution to improve the yield of Bario rice. We will also look for the best way to market this rice in and out of Sarawak,” she said in a recent press release.

BARIO RICE is recognized for having a low glycemic index rate.

In the meantime, Patricia said, she will conduct a study to improve the rice cultivation technique by maintaining the ethnic traditions in the area.

She explained that it is also necessary to find the soil nutrition used and introduce insect formulations with environmentally friendly controls so that the environment remains preserved.

She hopes that the study will further increase the profitability of farmers and maintain the quality of rice, even if the quantity of production has been increased in the future.

“Not only that, but we also attach great importance to the customs of the Sarawak community which has more than 20 ethnic groups.

“As modern technology evolves, the people here will undergo changes in terms of social and economic development.

“It is the result of better research and understanding, especially in terms of biodiversity, ecology, cultural heritage, history, astropology and language diversity here,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Senior Lecturer of the Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, UPMKB, Dr. Zakry Fitri Ab. Aziz said, it will continue to preserve the variety of Bario rice in Sarawak.

Obviously, it can be preserved through modern and traditional approaches so that harmony can be matched with the landscape and the local community.

Date of Input: 08/11/2022 | Updated: 09/11/2022 | lanz