CHAPTER 8 AGRICULTURE AND THE MALAYSIAN ECONOMY

VIDEO PRESENTATION - AGROTOURISM

Lawatan Taman Konservatory

Pada hari Khamis yang lalu, 26 November 2015, kami dari Kumpulan 2 telah membuat lawatan ke Taman Konservatori Pertanian, Universiti Putra Malaysia untuk membuat tugasan yang diberikan oleh pensyarah kami iaitu Dr. Natrah Fatin Binti Mohd Ikhsan bagi matapelajaran Agriculture and Man di tahun satu. Banyak pengetahuan yang kami perolehi di sana dengan dibantu oleh En. Ahmad Hisham Bin Mohd Sidi. Kami telah berkumpul di Cafeteria seawal 7.00 pagi untuk pergi bersama-sama ahli kumpulan dengan menaiki bas.

          

Untuk melawat Taman Konservatori, kami dikehendaki membuat tempahan 2 minggu sebelum hari kejadian kerana kami memerlukan pengawasan dari pegawai di taman itu. Taman Konservatori mempunyai waktu lawatan yang telah ditetapkan agar memudahkan pelawat-pelawat untuk membuat tempahan bermula pada hari Isnin hingga Khamis dibuka pada pukul 8.30 pagi hingga 12.30 tengah hari dan pada sebelah petang pula bermula jam 2.30 hingga 4.30 petang manakala pada hari Jumaat, ianya dibuka pada pukul 8.30 pagi hingga 11.30 tengahari. Kami telah memilih hari Khamis pada waktu pagi selama 1 jam dari 8.30 hingga 9.30 pagi dan kami dikehendaki membayar sebanyak RM 10.00 bagi setiap seorang. Pada pukul 8.30 pagi, kami telah diberi taklimat sebelum memasuki taman tersebut oleh Penolong Pegawai Pertanian iaitu En. Ahmad Hisham Bin Mohd Sidi mengenai sejarah Taman Konservatori Pertanian.

Antara sejarah yang dapat dikongsikan ialah ianya sebuah kawasan pemuliharaan tumbuhan ex-situ yang mengumpulkan koleksi tumbuhan asli Malaysia. Berkonsepkan taman botani yang meliputi keluasan hampir dua hektar yang pada asalnya merupakan ladang getah pelbagai klon. Ladang getah pada awalnya adalah di bawah pengawasan Unit Ladang Universiti (TPU) sekitar 1980-an sehinggalah tahun 1996 ianya diambil alih oleh Institut Biosains sebagaimana tertubuhnya institut ketika itu. Seiring dengan perkembangan penyelidikan semasa, skop Institut yang luas telah menjadikan aktiviti-aktiviti penyelidikan lebih dinamik. Tahun 2003, Taman Konsevatori Pertanian telah ditubuhkan dan Institut bertanggungjawab untuk merancang segala perjalanan aktiviti penyelidikan dan pembangunan komersial yang berasaskan tumbuhan. Taman Konservatori Pertanian sering menerima kunjungan daripada pelbagai lapisan terutamanya ahli akademik, saintis hinggalah orang perseorangan. Kini hampir 600 spesies berjaya dikumpulkan hasil daripada aktiviti ekspedisi saintifik di seluruh negara.

Taman ini mengandungi 11 zon utama yang dibahagikan kepada koleksi tumbuhan aroma, tumbuhan ubatan, ulaman, halia hutan, periuk kera, orkid hutan, keladi hutan, rempah ratus, aquatik, buah-buahan hutan dan paku-pakis. Dengan adanya koleksi-koleksi sebegini ianya membantu pihak universiti untuk memajukan penyelidikan dalam sektor pertanian, farmaseutikal dan hasilan semulajadi sekaligus memulihara keberkekalan spesies asli daripada kepupusan.

Antara tumbuhan yang kami pelajari ialah jenis-jenis serai wangi dan serai yang dimasak. Serai wangi digunakan untuk mandian, Keladi Tikus atau Birah Kecil yang merupakan tumbuhan wangian digunakan untuk mengubati penyakit barah, Ekor Anjing atau Ekor Angina merupakan pokok herba yang digunakan untuk mengubati demam dan kecederaan ringan. Selain itu juga, pegawai berkenan telah menunjukkan beberapa jenis Tongkat Ali antaranya Tongkat Ali Hitam dan Tongkat Ali Pasak bumi yang mempunyai kegunaan yang sama iaitu tonik, mengubati lenguh badan dan demam tetapi mempunyai ciri-ciri yang berbeza mengikut jenis daun dan pokoknya, Justeru, kami diberikan petua untuk megubati penyakit cirit-birit atau gigitan binatang berbisa dengan menggunakan tumbuhan yang diberi nama Melada Pahit. Pokok Putat Kampung pula digunakan untuk mengubati penyakit gatal-gatal, resdung dan sakit perut. Kebanyakan tumbuhan yang kami pelajari adalah yang mengubati wanita lepas bersalin antaranya ialah tumbuhan Si Gemok, Cempaka Kuning, Kesidang, Melati, Senduduk Merah, Cempaka Telur dan banyak lagi.

Kesimpulannya, mengunjung ke Taman Konservatori Pertanian ini memberikan kami banyak pengetahuan, pengalaman dan ilmu baru terutama bagi kami yang mengambil kos perakaunan yang tidak didedahkan dengan sepenuhnya mengenai pertanian. Segala ilmu yang diberikan antaranya yang tertumpu kepada wanita lepas bersalin akan dimanfaatkan sebaik-baiknya oleh kami. Terima kasih kepada Dr. Natrah Fatin binti Mohd Ikhsan yang telah mengajar dan memberi peluang kepada kami untuk mengenali lebih banyak tumbuh-tumbuhan semulajadi dan ilmu pertanian yang sangat berguna.

CHAPTER 9 : APPROACHES TO AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN MALAYSIA

4 POLICY WHICH IS

• National Agricultural Policy 1
• National Agricultural Policy 2
• National Agricultural Policy 3
• National Agrofood Policy

The good agriculture practice is so important . This is their example 

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Organic Farming 

Organic farming is a method of crop and livestock production that involves much more than choosing not to use pesticides, fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, antibiotics and growth hormones.

Organic production is a holistic system designed to optimize the productivity and fitness of diverse communities within the agro-ecosystem, including soil organisms, plants, livestock and people. The principal goal of organic production is to develop enterprises that are sustainable and harmonious with the environment.

The general principles of organic production, from the Canadian Organic Standards (2006), include the following:

• protect the environment, minimize soil degradation and erosion, decrease pollution, optimize biological productivity and promote a sound state of health
• maintain long-term soil fertility by optimizing conditions for biological activity within the soil
• maintain biological diversity within the system
• recycle materials and resources to the greatest extent possible within the enterprise
• provide attentive care that promotes the health and meets the behavioural needs of livestock
• prepare organic products, emphasizing careful processing, and handling methods in order to maintain the organic integrity and vital qualities of the products at all stages of production
• rely on renewable resources in locally organized agricultural systems

New agricultural sectors:

• Fisheries involving coastal riverine and deep sea fishing activities.
• Aquaculture activities in inland water bodies have increased with cultivation of commercial species
• Recreational fisheries and aquariums are new business ventures.

Food is essential to all living beings. Producing it takes energy, land, technology and water. Food security is not just about getting everyone enough nutritious food. It is also about access, ending waste, moving toward sustainable, efficient production and consumption. 

4 ways to enhance food security :

• enhanced domestic food production
• strategic sourcing
• improving marketing efficiency
• increasing productivity

Promoting Private Sector Participation

• Establishment of agrotechnology parks
• Establishment of incubation centres
• Providing private sector investment in agriculture

Agriculture education

Agricultural education teaches students about agriculture, food and natural resources. Through these subjects, agricultural educators teach students a wide variety of skills, including science, math, communications, leadership, management and technology.

Agricultural education is delivered through three interconnected components:

• Classroom or laboratory instruction.
• Experiential learning — Learning experiences that usually take place outside of the classroom, supervised by the agriculture instructor.
• Leadership education — delivered through student organizations such as the National FFA Organization, the National Young Farmer Education Association, National Postsecondary Agricultural Student Organization and others.

Research and Development Institutions

• Public sector

1. MADA
2. KADA
3. FELDA
4. MARDEC

• Private sector

1. United Plantation Research ( Teluk Intan,Perak )
2. Dupont Malaysia Research ( Prai ,Penang )

• Non-government organisation

1. Malaysian Environmental NGO (MENGO, Selangor )
2. Malaysian Nature Society(MNS,KL)

EXTENSION SERVICES

Agricultural extension (also known as agricultural advisory services) plays a crucial role in promoting agricultural productivity, increasing food security, improving rural livelihoods, and promoting agriculture as an engine of pro-poor economic growth.

LEGISLATIONS AND POLICIES

• Human rights legislation is put in place to protect people from discrimination.

•  It seeks to guarantee people equal treatment regardless of a particular identity or historical oppression in relation to employment, offers of employment and in other instances not related to employment.

Economic Transformation Product (ETP)

• Turn Malaysia too high income economy by 2020

• 12 National Key Economic Area (NKEA) have been identify to boost Malaysian economy .

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CHAPTER 7 : INNOVATION AND CHALLENGES IN MALAYSIA AGRICULTURE


There are few research institutes for Malaysian agriculture. They are divided into three which are :

1) Government bodies :

• MARDI (Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute)
• MPOB (Malaysian Palm Oil Board)
• MCB (Malaysian Cocoa Board)
• MRB (Malaysian Rubber Board)

2) Private Sectors :

• Sime Darby
• IOI
• FELDA (Federal Land and Development Authority)
• FELCRA (Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority)
• Golden Hold 

  

3) Universities

• Unniversiti Putra Malaysia
• Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
• Universiti Malaya
• Universiti Malaysia Sabah
• Universiti Malaysia Terengganu
•          

             

RESEARCH IN OIL PALM

• The first commercial planting was done in 1911 at Tenammaran Estet, Kuala Selangor
• It is Malaysia’s golden crop contributing about RM30 billion to its gross national product (GNP) annually, and now cultivated in an area in excess of 3.8 million hectares
• Research has suceeded in improving the yield of oil palm to 35 tonnes fresh fruit bunches per hectare per year, using the Tenera hybrid bred from the crossing of Dura and Pisifera varieties in early years.
• Dumpy.Yamgambi.AVROS semi-dwarf oil palm hybrid varieties which facilitate harvesting with improved high yield potential and extends the economic life of the crop, and potential high yield clones from tissue culture.

                                           

RESEARCH IN RUBBER

• A lot of technological innovations have been developed in the rubber industry. 
• Being the third largest rubber producer, Malaysia has 1.7 million ha planted with rubber trees. 
• The Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) has developed high yield and disease resistant clones producing >3500 kg rubber ha-1 yr-1 .
•  In the 70s it introduced a high grade rubber named Standard Malaysian Rubber (SMR) in the form of hevea crumb which is internationally recognized as high quality raw material. 
• Rubber can be turned into many manufactured goods and used for many purposes. 
• The MRB has introduced a new innovation in rubber tapping called puncture tapping or microtapping which can result in an increased production of latex
• It produces yields, with hormonal stimulation (etheral), comparable to that of conventional excision tapping. New latex-timber clones (LTC) of the RRIM200 series have been introduced of which the trunk can be harvested for the timber industry (labelled as the Malaysian oak) once it is no longer economical to tap for latex. Vitamine E has also been extracted from the latex. 

                                          

RESEARCH IN COCOA

• In 2002 a biotechnology division of the MCB was established.
• This division aims to implement research and development in cocoa biotechnology as well as to provide services 63 to the entire cocoa industry by developing new technology, capacity building and innovation. 
• Cocoa biotechnology research includes:-

1. agrobiotechnology to improve productivity and production efficiency
2. biotechnology enhanced- quality of cocoa products with respect to safety and health
3. industrial and pharmaceutical biotechnology 

• to obtain new products such as useful bioactive compounds from the cocoa tree, associated microbes in the cocoa environment and cocoa waste.  

                       

RESEARCH IN PADDY

• In order to fulfill the rice demand, for the growing population and with the target rice self-sufficiency of 70% Malaysia has to increase its rice productivity to the target of 90%
• In Peninsular Malaysia, 76 % of rice lands are provided with extensive irrigation and drainage facilities.
• Land available for agriculture is becoming limited by industrialization, urbanization, and expansion of residential areas so that need arises to maximize land productivity.
• Our aim is to make use of high new technology to raise the yield to 10 tonnes per hectare

                             

• The most common places in cultivation of paddy/rice are : 

              (1)MADA (Kedah-Perlis)

              (2) KADA (Kelantan)

              (3)Sawah Sempadan-Tanjung Karang (Selangor) 

•  Examples of fertilizers used in paddy agriculture is :-

                                                            (1) ZAPPA (Zap Padi Angin)

- It is formulated as paddy seed treatment to enhance rapid seed germination for direct seeding rice grown under aerobic and anaerobic systems. ZAPPA® PLUS treated paddy seeds increased the root and shoot growth.

- MARDI researchers in Tg.Karang and Bertam had also evaluated effectiveness of ZAPPA® PLUS for seed germination and the control of the paddy angin. The result showed that seeds treated with ZAPPA® PLUS were able to grow at 5 and 15 cm of water depth.

-  Benefits of using ZAPPA are :

 i) reduce weeds problem 

ii) reduce rat attack because of standing water 

iii) conserved water usage (water was not removed after plowing) 

iv) reduce seed borne diseases, and 

v) increase seed purity.

                                                

                                                                            (2) VITA-GROW

- It is a foliar fertilizer that contains complete and balanced plant nutrients.

- It is also enriched with plant growth regulators, non-ionic adjuvant and organically bound micro-nutrients, which are stable upon storage or when mixing with most pesticide.

-  It is also an excellent supplement to soil applications.

- Benefits of using VITA-GROW are :

 i) Increase plant yield and enhance product quality

ii) Stimulate or induce flowering and leading to better fruit setting

iii) Prevent the shedding of flowers and bud

                                       

RESEARCH ON LIVESTOCK

• The integration of livestock rearing in oil palm plantations (and previously in rubber as well) represented a milestone in the increase in production of beef and mutton.
•  Integration is an effective way of reducing management cost by allowing the livestock to eat away the weeds and having the dung from the animals distributed all over the plantation as a fertilizer.
•  Land development agencies, namely FELDA, RISDA, FELCRA and State governments have participated in this integration programme. 
• neurs who raise cattle in feed-lots, a concept introduced from overseas in the early years. We have developed new breed of beef cattle named Brahmas, a cross-breed between imported Brahman and local Kedah-Kelantan breed.
• A sheep named Malin, a cross between Australian and Indonesian breeds was 64 also developed to increase local supply of mutton. 
•  The Boar goats, a South African breed, are also being raised in large numbers for the same purpose

                                                                        HYBRID

                                       

 FISHERIES/AQUACULTURE

• The fisheries industry, particularly deep sea fishing and aquaculture have receives government incentives to further commercialise and to establish economy of scale by consolidating small ventures
• Aquaculture is the cultivation of natural produce of water (fish, shellfish, algae and other aquatic organisms).
• Also known as aquafarming, the term is distinguished from fishing by the idea of active human effort as opposed to simply taking them from the wild. 
• The government is encouraging locals to adopt aquaculture by constructing ponds and raising fishes in net cages in rivers, lakes and sea shores
• Research has been done on the use of probiotics in improving cultivation of fish and prawns
• A rapid detection kit has been developed to detect white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) disease in prawns
• Modern technology has been promoted to enhance production while looking into the implication of the environment. 
• Biotechnology is low-key at the moment but will be promoted extensively in the future

                                  
                                 

FRUITS, FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES

• Research has been conducted to improve commercial production of banana, pineapple, papaya, starfruit, mango, durian, guava, watermelon, jackfruit, rambutan, citrus, duku, langsat/dokong, cempedak, ciku and mangosteen
•  Flowers such as orchids is a growing 65 industry. Tissue culture is now used for mass-production of orchid seedlings which are even exported
• The vegetable industry has recorded a growth of 7.2% annually. Research on all these commodities have focused on yield increase, optimise usage of fertilizers, water, and new strains together with pest and disease control
• Mushrooms which are strictly fungi but considered as “vegetables” is a growing industry in Malaysia. Research has focused on production biotechnology, cultivation of new species and novel mushroom products. 

                                                              PLANT TISSUE CULTURE

                                                  
                                            

                                             

                                                                ORGANIC VEGETABLES

                                              

                                             

                                                             MUSHROOM PRODUCTION
                                              

                                             

PRECISION AGRICULTURE

• This is a new innovation in agriculture it is also known as “site specific management”.
• This approach has initially attracted the interest of the plantation sector.
• It utilizes  ICT and electronic tools to determine localities (micro-niches) that require specific amounts of fertilizer, pesticide, etc. In the long run it can save management cost and increases yield. 
• Precision agriculture is being practiced partly in oil palm and paddy growing areas.