Sabah farmers urged to avoid open burning during Super El Nino
KOTA KINABALU: Farmers in Sabah have been advised against opening new agricultural areas during the expected ‘Super’ El Nino, said Sabah Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar.
KOTA KINABALU - Farmers in Sabah are being advised to refrain from establishing new agricultural areas during the anticipated Super El Nino, according to Sabah Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar. The El Nino phenomenon is projected to take place from September to January of the following year. For the upcoming four to five months, it is recommended that farmers concentrate on augmenting water supplies on their farms and eschew open burning.
Speaking after the Influencer@JAPEN Sabah programme, Jamawi also disclosed that 10,000 hectares of unused land for rice cultivation would be developed using a mini-estate model in collaboration with private enterprises. He added that Sabah aims to increase padi yields to between six and seven tonnes per hectare through mechanization, appropriate fertilizers, and agricultural technology.
Currently, only 19% of Sabah's rice needs are met through local production, with the rest being imported from Thailand, Vietnam, and India.
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