SARICON II brings rice industry stakeholders together
KUCHING, 7 October 2026: The second Sarawak Rice Conference (SARICON II) 2026 has brought together researchers, government agencies, agricultural practitioners, industry players and farmers to strengthen collaboration towards a more sustainable and resilient rice industry in Sarawak.
Officiated by the Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg yesterday, the three-day conference carries the theme “Sustainable Rice Future: Innovation, Collaboration and Resilience”.
The conference focuses on the role of innovation and technology in strengthening the industry, including smart farming, mechanisation, precision agriculture, digital technologies and data-driven decision-making.
It also covers research-based approaches to soil, nutrient, water and crop management aimed at improving productivity while promoting more sustainable production practices.
Beyond cultivation, SARICON II also highlights the wider rice value chain, including post-harvest handling, processing and marketing, as well as opportunities to encourage greater participation by industry players and young people.
The organisers said rice remained an important component of food security and rural livelihoods, making it necessary to strengthen cooperation among stakeholders and translate research and innovation into practical benefits for farmers and agricultural communities.
SARICON II is intended to go beyond knowledge exchange by facilitating practical collaborations between researchers, policymakers, industry stakeholders and farmers to support the development of more productive, sustainable and resilient rice production systems in Sarawak.
Organised by the Department of Agriculture Sarawak, with Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sarawak and the Sarawak Institute of Agricultural Scientists (SIAS) as co-organisers, SARICON II is a platform for stakeholders to exchange knowledge, share research findings and explore practical solutions to challenges facing rice production.
The conference is supported by the Ministry of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Sarawak and Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak), with strategic partnerships involving Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Sarawak Biodiversity Centre and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS).
It is also supported by sponsors including Agricultural Chemicals (M) Sdn Bhd, Advansia Sdn Bhd, Telbina Technology Sdn Bhd, Kubota Malaysia Sdn Bhd, BASF (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Tukang Mart, East-Bio Systems Sdn Bhd and Onemas Agriculture Sdn Bhd.
