Participate in urban farming, Labuan folks told

Labuan: Production of fruits and vegetables on the island has the potential to grow with the application of technology, based on Good Agriculture Practice (GAP).Director General of Agriculture Dato' Ahmad Zakaria Mohamad Sidek made the observation on the occasion of his two-day visit in conjunction with the national quarantine conference.

Also present were head of biosecurity Faridah Aini Muhammad, Deputy Sabah Director Hanafiah Haji Arsad, Senior Research Officer Asmah Salowi from Sarawak and Labuan Director Mohamad Taufik Johari.

"I encourage the people, especially on the island, to participate in urban farming as this would directly reduce the cost of living," he said after visiting a few sites under the programme.

Growing food for your family, he said would be safer, compared to commercial farming.

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The programme, involving residents in housing estates, was a collaborative initiative of agencies and departments under the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry. The DG called on Labuan Corporation to provide idle land to the Labuan Agriculture Department for urban farming project.

He urged residents to maximise their backyard to grow their own vegetables for their own needs as well as to supplement their household income.

"Plant what you eat and eat what you plant. The excess could be sold," he said, hoping more residents would take up the exercise actively.

He also visited a three-heactare site at Kilan, earmarked for Sustainable Food Production Park.

During his working visit, Zakaria also met Labuan Corporation CEO Dato' Mohd Nadzri Osman.

Meanwhile, the Labuan Agriculture Department held a fair at the Labuan Sentral Market to create awareness of Patheniumhysterophorus, an invasive specie originating from Mexico.

Known as Rumpai Miang Mexico, it had infected Ranau, Tenom, Keningau, Sipitang, Tuaran and Kota Marudu.

Other states afflicted were Selangor, Kedah, Perlis, Penang, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Johor and Pahang.

Although Labuan was free from the scourge, steps had been taken to preempt its arrival.

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Research Officer Ruslan Haji Alidin gave a talk to representatives of village committees, farmers and horticulturists. "Before the species could flower, it should be weeded using changkul. Rubber gloves, face masks, long sleeves shirts must be worn."

Contact with the plant causes skin diseases and respiratory malfunction. The presence of the pollen grain can inhibit fruit set in tomato, brinjal and beans, whereas livestock fed on the grass mixed with its leaves are known to cause bitter milk diseases.

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