Tenom: Strengthening organic farming technology is important in ensuring food security while improving public health, said Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar.
He said growing public awareness of health and food sources had made organic agricultural production increasingly important.
“If we intensify organic farming, it will help ensure food security and better health, while giving people greater confidence and stability in obtaining their daily food supplies,” he said after closing the Organic Farming Technology Transformation Course 2.0 at SJK(C) Chung Hwa here.
Jamawi said the course attracted participants not only from Tenom but also Keningau, Nabawan, Kudat and other areas to learn about various aspects of organic farming.
He said the Agriculture Department was also identifying several farms in Tenom where organic farming could be implemented to provide the community with access to produce from certified farms.
Jamawi said myGAP certification also covered health aspects, including reducing the use of chemical pesticides and fertilisers, with six more farms recently receiving the certification for complying with standards to ensure agricultural produce is safe for consumption.
“If we can also obtain myOrganic certification, it will be a bonus for the farms in marketing their produce, but there are various SOPs that must be fulfilled,” he said.
He said the course was aimed at helping farmers and those involved in the sector better understand the requirements for implementing myOrganic certification in Sabah.
Jamawi also urged consumers to recognise certified organic produce and be prepared to pay slightly more for it, noting that the higher prices reflected certification processes and additional costs borne by farmers.
“If we prioritise our health, we should be willing to spend slightly more to obtain produce from farms certified under myOrganic,” he said.
In another development, Jamawi said 25 cattle would be distributed to B40 groups in Melalap, particularly in Kampung Lagud, as part of efforts to revive grazing areas and help needy communities obtain quality breeding stock.
He said the Veterinary Services Department had also been instructed to upgrade and rehabilitate grazing areas in Tenom and other parts of Sabah.
“The two areas selected for this year’s implementation are the Kampung Lagud and Kampung Pamilaan grazing areas,” he said, adding that 45 cattle would be distributed at Kampung Pamilaan in September.
Jamawi said both grazing areas had been rehabilitated, including through fencing and grass planting, as part of efforts to strengthen the livestock sector and support rural incomes.
He urged recipients not to sell the breeding cattle prematurely but to allow them to reproduce and increase their livestock holdings as a long-term source of income.
“Do not sell what we give you. Take good care of them and hopefully they will provide a source of income in the future,” he said.
Jamawi said recipients could eventually increase their herds to 10, 20 or 30 cattle before selling them, while assuring that assistance would continue if they faced problems involving fencing, grass or breeding stock.
