BRAVING occasional drizzle,
the Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism trudged through the
undulated terrain and negotiated the bushy plains of Batang Mitus in
Tutong to have a close look at the various farms that stretch across the
area.
“It is the right time for
people to take up agriculture as a lucrative business opportunity. It is
one of the most effective ways to diversify the economy to reduce the
nation’s heavy reliance on oil and gas and to ensure food security, food
self sufficiency and employment,” Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin
Haji Apong told the Sunday Bulletin as he stopped for some fresh air
during the trail.
The visit was part of the
minister’s initiative to meet farmers in the country to understand their
problems and enlighten them of the importance of producing high-priced
and highly demanded agriculture produce that can improve their earnings
and sustainability.
The minister and his
delegation visited poultry, livestock, fruits and vegetable farms
located in Batang Mitus that included the Food Jungle Farm Sdn Bhd,
Ladang Buah Syarikat Usaha Bersama Maju, Ternakan Batang Mitus Farm
Station and Ladang Sayur Superb Agricultural Farm.
Agricultural activities at
the Food Jungle Sdn Bhd include ‘free range’ chicken farming, making
compost using Permaculture technique, construction of symbiotic
environment for aquaponic organic vegetable farming, research on papaya
and banana using permaculture technique.
More at Borneo Bulletin Online
