PADDY farmers within the Long Langai village situated in the Ba’Kelalan highlands of northern maximum Sarawak have accomplished a pioneering feat. They have produced padi harvests the use of a chemical-free farming means referred to as System of Rice Intensification (SRI). Last week, the farmers proudly confirmed their rice, which they named Adan Rice, to the clicking all over a talk over with organised by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia and the Long Langai residents.
[woo_product_slider id=”64262″]
WWF senior programme, neighborhood engagement and training officer Alicia Ng said the SRI manner was once proven to be sustainable. It used fewer rice seedlings and no more water during the expansion cycle, enabled more straightforward transplantation of younger seedlings, more effective weeding keep watch over and extra fertile soil conditions as organic fertiliser was once used. “We encourage the farmers to return to organic farming. “I Hope through this harvesting, the farmers will teach others concerning the SRI means. “The reason we embarked on the SRI pilot challenge here’s because Long Langai is the second one biggest village in Ba’Kelalan.
“The village is also a 20-minute drive away from Ba’Kelelan airport. “Most of the villagers are padi farmers whilst some are considering tourism actions like offering homestays. “As an environmental organisation, we’re having a look at quite a lot of actions together with eco-tourism. Sustainable rice farming is a part of it and shall be a continuing task. “We don’t seem to be advertising or sales mavens. We handiest have a look at how farming has an affect on the environment.
That is our major worry. “This SRI method will take a lot of hard work, but is worth it because it will save cost, chemical-free farming and a healthy option for the community,” stated Ng all the way through the seek advice from. WWF additionally held workshops for the farmers and Sarawak Agriculture Ministry guided them on eco-friendly agriculture practices. For example, the farmers learnt about built-in soil nutrient control, insect or pest control management and weed control.
At the workshops, they exchanged studies and shared in regards to the challenges confronted. Matius Padan, head farmer of Long Langai village, mentioned he was hoping more people will soak up this system of farming. “This just right effort was started by WWF, making Long Langai a mission web site with collaboration from the Agriculture Ministry. “We are not only able to learn a new method or gain knowledge, but also maintain a sustainable environmental balance,” mentioned Matius.
In 2014, Department of Agriculture Sarawak (DoA) introduced SRI farming in Long Rusu village, Ba’ Kelalan, with five farmers joining the three-year take a look at plots programme below its agriculture research centre. WWF used to be additionally involved in the programme, which aimed to advertise chemical-free farming while decreasing pests such as the golden apple snail. WWF and CIMB Islamic Bank Bhd (CIMB Islamic) subsidized local farmers to participate in DoA’s programmes, which included visiting the SRI Lovely Farm in Sik, Kedah, to be told concerning the theories and technical facets of the method. In 2017, SRI farming expanded to Long Langai village, with 11 farmers committing to the project.
This was made imaginable beneath a pilot challenge via WWF thru a RM1.5mil investment via CIMB Islamic in a three-year partnership (2017-2019). In Ba’Kelalan and Long Semadoh, Sarawak, the whole allocation is RM600,000. “As a company that embraces sustainability group-wide, CIMB Islamic is proud to be related to tasks that aren’t handiest socio-economically really useful, but in addition kind to the environment. “SRI organic farming suits smartly into this concept and our sustainability targets.
We are happy that extra farmers have authorized and followed the SRI method. “With such encouraging progress, we believe the project can deliver a better outcome by benefiting more communities over time,” stated CIMB Group Islamic banking leader executive officer Rafe Haneef.
