Keningau first to use farm system
Published on: Friday, March 08, 2024
By: Marutin Ansiung
Arthur showing the plaque after signing it.
KENINGAU: Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup launched the pilot Centralised Management Farming System (CMFS), here, the result of collaboration between the Sabah Farmers’ Organisation (LPP) with private company Agriculture Chemicals Sdn Bhd and the Keningau Area Farmers’ Organisation (PPK).
According to Arthur, Keningau is the first location in Sabah that will use the system.
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He said the main focus of CMFS is to help monitoring in the rice cultivation sector.
“Through this collaboration, the farmers will be introduced to proper agricultural practices while also exposing them to technology, agronomic management and the use of correct inputs,” he said.
He described the CMFS innovation as being in line with the Ministry’s desire to cultivate the concept of National Innovation for People’s Agro-Food Security (Pintar) and hoped that more innovations would be created to ensure increased productivity and sustainability of the country’s agro-food sector moving in line with current needs.
Arthur, who is also Pensiangan MP, said his Ministry aims with the application of technology is to be able to increase the average rice production in the Magatang area from 2.5mt/ha to 4-5mt/ha and indirectly increase the income of the paddy farmers.
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At the event, he also presented the Special Cash Donation Assistance (BKST2024) to paddy farmers who are actively planting paddy.
For BKST phase two, PPK Keningau received RM630,000 involving 1,050 beneficiaries which is RM600 for one paddy farmer.
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At the same time, he also called on all farmers who are still not registered with the PPK to do so immediately because there are various benefits that they can get if they become members of the LPP – for example – courses, fertiliser assistance, subsidy assistance and so on.
For the record, a total of 2,701 farmers were registered with the Keningau PPK and it is estimated that there are approximately 200 more farmers who are not yet registered.
Arthur said the Ministry through its departments and agencies always welcomes strategic cooperation and collaboration with private companies in mobilising their respective resources and expertise to increase food production locally and further reduce dependence on imported supplies as well as support the national food security agenda.
Also present were Sabah LPP Director Hadriyani Ahmad and Keningau PPK Board of Directors Chairman Alexius Paulus as well as 150 Kampung Magatang paddy farmers.
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