MOSTI`S TECHNOLOGIES HELP IMPROVE GRASSROOTS` LIVELIHOOD

BELAGA (Sarawak, Malaysia), Jan 12 (Bernama) -- Technologies developed by
agencies of the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry have to-date been
deployed to 185 parliamentary and state constituencies under its
TAPMOSTI@Community programme to improve the livelihood of grassroots
communities.

Its Minister Dr Maximus Ongkili said a total of 23 technologies were available
for application under the community programme.

The programme, which involves an allocation capped at RM150,000 for each
constituency, would assist communities to find new sources of income and improve
their livelihood, he said. (US$1=RM3.07)

"In this way we are able to transform innovations to wealth," he said at the
launching of Gaharu Project between the ministry’s agency Nuclear Agency
Malaysia and the Asap Koyan Development Community (AKDC) at Uma Badeng in Sg
Asap-Koyan, Belaga Tuesday.

The community project was made possible under the ministry’s another community
initiative, the Community Innovation Fund, to assist rural and urban people in
developing innovative projects and upgrading production, processes or services.

In ensuring sustainable livelihood for the communities as a result of the Bakun
dam’s project, the utilisation of Karas trees to produce gaharu has become a
focused activity due to the high price and demand for the forest product.

In June 2010, AKDC was granted with a RM300,000 grant by the ministry to start
Phase 1 of the Gaharu (Agarwood) Project which involves inoculation of the Karas
trees to produce resin via a process of mutation.

Nuclear Malaysia will transfer technology for the production of gaharu resin
through unique inoculation techniques.

"The main output of the project is to utilise and extract an estimated 20,000
Karas trees that can produce gaharu resin within the Bakun area before the site
is filled up by water by 2013," Ongkili said.
-- BERNAMA