Kota Kinabalu: Farmers in Sabah are advised against clearing new agricultural land during the upcoming ‘Super’ El Niño phenomenon, which is expected to last from September through to January next year.
State Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar said his Ministry has established a special committee to tackle the phenomenon following forecasts of prolonged hot and dry weather.
“The Ministry also received a briefing from the Sabah Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) last week regarding the weather conditions expected to impact the agricultural sector.
“For the next four to five months, we advise farmers not to open up new agricultural land. They are encouraged to focus efforts on enhancing water resources on their respective farms, as well as avoiding open burning,” he said when met during the recording of the Influencer @ Japen Sabah programme, Wednesday.
Jamawi said the agricultural, fisheries and livestock sectors are expected to experience minor disruptions if the hot weather persists. He urged operators across these sectors to seek guidance from Ministry officers at the district level.
“Do reach out to Ministry officers for advice on measures to mitigate the impact of El Niño on your enterprises, businesses or crops,” he added.
Members of the public are also advised to remain attentive to official MetMalaysia announcements for the latest weather updates.
