Collaborative effort needed to address problems of marine ecosystem sustainability – Yahya

Yahya getting ready to beat a gong as a symbolic launch of the seminar.

KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin has called for a collaborative effort to address the problems of the marine ecosystem sustainability.

Yahya pointed out that marine and coastal resources industries in the world are reported to represent more than five percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP) and oceans also provide the so-called ‘non-market’ benefits such as climate regulation, carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation.

All these services will be downgraded or lost if oceans are not in a good state of health, so how can we afford to ignore the oceans? he questioned.

Speaking at the launching of the ‘Annual International Seminar on Marine Science & Aquaculture: Ocean Health & Our Future’ yesterday, Yahya pointed out that since fish landings from the captured fisheries are not increasing to match demand, aquaculture has to develop to supplement fish supply.

“The current level of production which is reported to be more than 63 million tons is not enough to meet human requirements. I know there are challenges in its developments but they have to be addressed.

“If as a result of exchange of experience and knowledge among the delegates, suitable strategies which are also relevant locally happen to emerge, kindly let us know. We would like to take up the matter for follow-up action,” he said in his speech at the seminar organised by the Borneo Marine Research Institute of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).

“We are open to ideas and willing to act on scientific evidences presented to us in a way that policies could be evolved based on sound decisions,” the Agriculture and Food Industry Minister added.

According to Yahya, Malaysia, and Sabah especially, prides itself on having a rich culture where the marine heritage has played a very important role in peoples’ lifestyles and the government will spare no efforts to protect those cultural and traditional interests of its ocean citizens.

“These very resources are facing the threat to their sustainability. I believe if scientists, social scientists, policy makers and other stakeholders come together to address the problems of the marine ecosystem, we can collectively make a difference for the benefit of current and future generations,” he said.

Yahya pointed out that with oceans covering more than 70 per cent of the earth surface and their health linked so closely to human welfare, the ever increasing importance of this vast body of water is understandable.

“As our knowledge of the oceans increased over recent decades, our perceptions have also changed, making us think rationally about limits of acceptable change in the marine ecosystem,” he said, adding that the vastness of oceans and their enormous capacity to absorb impacts does not make them immune to human actions.

This, he said, is evident from the changes in ocean chemistry, most prominently acidification, and decline in biodiversity and fisheries resources.

The ecosystem degradation, Yahya stressed, is not confined to the coastal belt but spreads to remote areas due to water movement and pollutants introduced locally become a global problem in the course of time.

Their biomagnification in marine organisms consumed by humans creates health hazards, he said and added that oceans are a common necessity that needs to be protected by all and for all.

This, opined Yahya, calls for worldwide efforts and despite advancement in fishing technology, the captured fisheries production has not improved beyond the 90 million tons worldwide and many of the commercially important fish stocks have lost sustainability.

Globally, fish have been harvested at a rate far beyond their reproductive capacity of replenishment and this is the most serious challenge to sustainable management of commercial fisheries, he said.

“In addition to direct pressure on seafood resources, habitat degradation, biodiversity loss and effects of climate change are acting simultaneously to threaten sustainability. Besides seafood, the oceans also support the economic sectors such as tourism, shipping and energy.

“They offer opportunities for sourcing pharmaceuticals to treat human diseases and cosmetic products. In fact, the marine bio prospecting is an increasingly important topic for the pharmaceutical industry,” Yahya said.

Source: Borneo Post

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A Permanent Food Production Park in Putatan

Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin together with Director of Agriculture Department Datuk MC Ismail Salam checking on a rock melon during the inspection of food production park site in Putatan.

The 5 hectares permanent food production park in Putatan is expected to generate RM5 million income by its first year of production in 2014.

The park which costs RM10,365,000 is financed by the federal government as part of the government’s strategy to develop a permanent place for food production on a commercial scale using high technology agriculture practices.

Sabah Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin said the park was planned to help the country to cope with the rising demand for vegetables and fruits.

“This permanent food production park will increase our food production and reduce food imports. The project can also encourage the private sector to participate in food production. It will provide jobs as well as optimise agricultural yields.

“As far as food is concerned our balance of trade is not satisfactory so we are trying to meet the domestic demands first before considering exports,” Yahya told reporters during the inspection of the park at the Putatan Integrated Agricultural Training Centre today.

He said that rock melon will be the first crop to be cultivated. Later other high valued crops such as eggplant and chilli will be produced.

There are four more permanent food production park projected soon apart from the one at Putatan and one in Tawau. There will be  one in Sungai Lokan Kinabatangan which covers 723 hectares and Padawan Mandalipau in Papar which will have 517 hectares, Sungai Koyah Kinabatangan with 80 hectares, and 15 hectares in Masilou, Kundasang which will produce fruits and vegetables.

The Director of Sabah Agriculture Department, Datuk M.C Ismail Salam disclosed that the permanent food production park in Tawau which is the first food production centre in Sabah has collected an income of more than RM1 million so far.

M.C Ismail said that he expected that the programme in Putatan will also yield a high return and create jobs for the local people.

“11 participants including graduates in agriculture will be selected to participate in the Putatan permanent food production project. The candidates will go through a screening process to ensure the success of the project,” he said.

He also told reporters that the Putatan permanent food production parks project will use rock melon seeds imported from Japan and will be cultivated in sheltered plots.

The commercial price of rock melon imported from Australia sold in Malaysia fetches as much as RM76 each.

Source: Insight Sabah 

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Modernise agricultural training centres - Yahya

Photo example

Agricultural training centres in Sabah have been urged to apply information communications technology (ICT) and modern mechanization to provide trainees with a facilitative learning environment.

Deputy Chief Minister cum Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry, Datuk Yahya Hussin said it is an important move to produce more youths as agricultural entrepreneurs.The application of mechanisation and modern technology is in line with the changing times and shall be part of future training programmes to help agricultural entrepreneurs to face the challenges and obstacles in this industry. Yahya also urged the Agriculture Department to use the Blue Ocean Strategy in its human capital development programmes either in collaboration with other government agencies or the private sector. He said the government was committed in boosting the growth of the agriculture sector by enhancing training and skill in both agriculture and the agro-based industry.

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Special committee to monitor Sungai Petagas

PUTATAN: Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Yahya Hussin wants a special committee to monitor Sungai Petagas to ensure that it is clean.

He said it will also help to increase public awareness on the importance of their role in keeping the river clean at all times. 

“I have suggested it to the District Officer to form a committee to monitor Sungai Petagas and other rivers in the district. 

“Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) has already given their commitment to help us improve Sungai Petagas as well as other rivers in Sabah,” he said.

Yahya was speaking to reporters after officiating at the Tiger Prawn Improvement and Rehabilitation Programme which also aimed to create public awareness on the importance of Sungai Petagas, held at the Kampung Petagas community hall here yesterday. 

Those present were the director of the Borneo Marine Research Institute for UMS, Prof. Dr. Saleem Mustafa, Sungao Petagas Community Project Leader, Prof. Datin Seri Panglima Dr.Ann Anton, Putatan District Officer, Ag. Abd. Ghani Pg. Yusoff, Director of the Fisheries Department, Rayner S. Galid and local residents of Kampung Petagas. 

Yahya who is also the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry as well as the assemblyman for Petagas, noted that the level of public awareness on river protection is still low. 

“We see the river is still dirty and there are rubbish and wastes strewn all over the riverbanks. Some irresponsible quarters even dispose industrial waste into Sungai Petagas. It appears as though the river has become a convenient dumping ground for villagers and even the factories. 

“We get information that at night and early morning, lorries carrying garbage and industrial waste come to dispose the items into the river and this has badly polluted the river,” he said.

Putatan which now has a population of more than 50,000 is rapidly growing and that growth has affected the function and condition of Sungai Petagas. 

Yahya recalled that some 40 years ago, the river was a source of livelihood for fishermen and its clean water was a main supply to the residents. 

However, the Department of Environment found that the quality of water in Sungai Petagas was deteriorating due to domestic waste such as plastic bags and bottles which caused adverse effects to the aquatic life in the river. 

“I hope that the programme to improve and rehabilitate aquatic resource in the river between the district office and UMS will transform and enhance the socio-economy of the local community while improving the quality of the river water,” said Yahya. 

He believed that once the river has been rehabilitated, it will have the potential to be developed as an area for eco-tourism. 

The programme is the second phase of an initiative to improve the fish stock in the river after the first one was implemented last 23 April. 

Yahya also distributed prawn and fish fries to 10 villages in the Petagas constituency.

Source: New Sabah Times

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Giving Putatan town a new look

 

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin wants Putatan District to be the cleanest place in Sabah. He made that known at the launching of the Putatan District Anti-Litter Campaign near the tamu ground in Putatan yesterday.  The Anti-Litter Campaign stresses good hygiene and a litter-free environment.

"Putatan is only a 10 minutes drive to the Kota Kinabalu International Airport. The district is the first place tourists see and what they see may form an impression of the whole state. If the district is dirty, people will think the whole of Sabah is dirty," he said.

Yahya who is also the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry said the district has to improve its cleanliness standard, as it is also a gateway for visitors from Brunei and Sarawak who come to Kota Kinabalu.

He said every one should be responsible and work together to find solution to address the litter problems in Putatan.

"There is no point for us to argue with the district council on the waste issue. We only know how to complain but what we really should do is to play our part to ensure  that our home, village and district are  free of litter," he said.

Yahya also urged shop owners to ensure the area outside their shops are kept clean all the time. He proposed that businesses in the district adopt the 'no plastic' concept.

Putatan District Officer Awang Abdul Ghani Pg Yusoff disclosed that in the past three months the Putatan District Council has compounded some 400 people for littering. The 'litterbugs' were fined between RM50 and RM500 per person for the offence.

"Everyday, we collect between 35 tonnes to 40 tonnes of wastes. This is a huge amount,” he said.

Abdul Ghani said the Putatan District itself has grown and its population is also increasing.

"There are now more than 80,000 people residing in over 50 housing areas and 22 villages including many government offices and business premises," he said.

He said a challenge that the district council faces is from the huge volume of wastes from people who live outside the Putatan rating area but use the council's garbage disposal facility.

"The district is also short of machinery and manpower. We only have seven waste trucks right now and a total of 56 workers handling the waste collection,” he said.

He said he did not say all this as excuses for the poor cleanliness in Putatan. The district council is carrying out  various anti-litter programmes and have installed three billboards promoting anti-littering.

"We have also provided 20 large waste bins in the hope that people will not throw rubbish indiscriminately. We have also introduced the ‘Tagal’ system in our management of the Petagas River to help increase the fish species and also to raise awareness of river cleanliness. We try hard  to stop people residing along the river bank from dumping waste into the river,” he said.

Source: Insight Sabah

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Sabah Dairy Industry has Potential says Deputy CM

KENINGAU: Sabah’s dairy industry has the potential to produce high-value cheese, butter, yoghurt, ice cream and milk powder as well as Sahiwal Friesian dairy cattle for export, says Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin.

The private sector, as proposed in the Economic Transformation Programme, could play a role in this and contribute to the Gross Domestic Product, he said in his speech at the launch of anchor companies in the Dairy Cluster here yesterday.

Yahya, who was also state Agriculture and Food Industries Minister, said the state’s dairy industry began in the early 1980s with participating farmers owning two to five dairy cattle each under an initiative by the state Veterinary Services and Animal Industries Department.

Sabah now produces 10 million litres of milk a year and was the biggest producer of fresh milk for the School Milk and 1Malaysia Milk Programmes, he said.

“Fresh milk is also exported to neighbouring countries as well as Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, and the state’s dairy industry is set for further growth with the Keningau Integrated Livestock Centre (KILC) and Kota Belud Agropolitan Project,” he said.

Yahya also urged private and government-linked companies to invest in the state’s agriculture sector, including in bird’s nest farming, sea weed mini estates, fish cage culture, food processing, rice farming and cattle feedlots.

Source: http://kepkas.sabah.gov.my/2012/06/22/sabahs-dairy-industry-has-potential-says-deputy-cm/

Photo source: http://dodgora.blogspot.com/2012/01/united-dairy-farmers-coupons.html

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Overfishing contributes to diminishing fishery resources

PUTATAN: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Yahya Hussin said overfishing was one of the major causes that contribute to the diminished fishery resources.

The damage done to the coral reefs, inappropriate use of fishing gear and pollution to the environment from the discharge of toxic effluents into the sea and rivers have also affected the resources.

Yahya, who is also the Agriculture & Food Industry Minister, said this when officiating at the Fisheries Stock Enhancement Programme in Sabah for the Benefit of the Local Community – Giant Freshwater Prawns at Petagas River here yesterday.

The programme is jointly organised by Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), through its Borneo Marine Research Institute (BMRI), State Fisheries Department, Putatan District Office and Community 1Malaysia Kampung Muhibbah in Putatan.

Yahya, who is also the Petagas Assemblyman, said the challenge for the fisheries sector now is to restore the marine stocks to ensure the continuation of the industry.

And to do so, he said the ministry through the Fisheries Department has been working actively with various parties to mitigate the fisheries resource problems.

“I am proud of the BMRI noble efforts as the new knowledge acquire from the outcome of the research will contribute positively to society, particularly the fishermen,” said Yahya.

Besides that, he said the Fisheries Department, together with local communities had also implemented the ‘tagal system’ in the rivers and sea in Sabah to enhance the fisheries resources.

Among those present includes UMS vice-chancellor Prof Dr Kamaruzaman Ampon, Putatan district officer Ag Abd Ghani Pg Yusoff and Fisheries Department deputy director Jephrin Wong.

Read More: http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/58144 

Photo Source: http://swittersb.wordpress.com/2009/08/02/king-salmon-mia-bering-sea-pollock-fishery-harvesting-kings-perhaps-an-even-more-pressing-concern-than-pebble-mine/

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Putatan needs water treatment and sewerage systems – Yahya

PUTATAN:  Despite the vast development here, the district is still lack of two important systems – water treatment and sewerage.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin, in disclosing this yesterday, said that most of the discharges are released into the rivers untreated.
“Housing and building projects are mushrooming in the district, as well as government departments, and yet we do not have any proper sewerage and water treatment system.
“Lacking in these two systems has forced the discharges to be released into the rivers untreated, raising claims that the Petagas River is polluted,” he said when speaking at the launch of the Universiti Malaysia Sabah Borneo Marine Research Institute’s first phase of the Lobster Ranching Project at the Muhibbah Hall in Petagas here yesterday.
He also noted that excessive fishing activities are also among the contributing factors to the depletion of marine life.
“People are too greedy and it is affecting our marine life … they do not have enough time to mature. Some people practise fish bombing or use other types of poisons which kill the fish and their fries. This greediness must stop,” warned the Agriculture and Food Industry Minister.
Taking Japan as an example, he said the country emphasised on the importance of conserving the sea and marine life.
“That is why they are able to produce supplies of tuna fish, and earn millions from it,” he said.
Yahya also added that the move to set up the tagal committee would also help to monitor the fishing activities in the district.
“This innovative strategy could be the solution to change our way in managing our resources for the good of all,” he said, complimenting UMS for its initiative to promote the importance of conserving and protecting the environment.
On another development, Yahya also hoped that more programmes would be organised by UMS here.
“Although Putatan is close to the State capital, not many UMS projects are being done here. The university was built in Sepanggar and Sandakan is made the education hub, while many other projects are concentrated on the rural areas and the interior of Sabah.
“It is my hope that this project will be the beginning of many more to come,” he said.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/04/24/putatan-needs-water-treatment-and-sewerage-systems-yahya/#ixzz1tftupwrx

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Two more projects to release aquatic life into rivers

PUTATAN:  Universiti Malaysia Sabah Borneo Marine Reseach Institute (BMRI) will carry out another two more projects to release aquatic life into rivers this year.
Disclosing this, the school’s director, Professor Dr Saleem Mustafa, said they were in the stage of discussion to plan the best strategy to implement the projects in the hope of producing sustainable supplies of marine life.
He stressed that the selection of suitable marine life was vital, adding that several factors were taken into account such as its biological nature, natural habitat, economic factor and the support from the local community.
“While we are working closely with the relevant bodies on this project, it will not succeed without the support and cooperation from the local community. We are looking forward to their feedback for the implementation of this first project launched today (yesterday),” he said referring to the launch of the first phase of the Lobster Ranching Project at the Muhibbah Hall in Petagas, here, by Deputy Chief Minister cum Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin.
Saleem added that BMRI will hold discussion sessions from time to time to identify the suitable species to be released at several locations for the next phase.
He said there have been requests from individuals to release fries or shrimps into the rivers.
Saleem added that the project was initiated to rehabilitate and restock the fisheries in the rivers in Sabah.
“This upgrading and fish releasing project is the latest science subject that has gained public interest due to its benefits,” he said.
He added that while the quality of fries and shrimps produced is important, another vital factor is its new habitat.
“That is why we hope that this district will not ignore the quality of environment, river and sea despite the race for development.
“It is important for the people to help create a conducive and comfortable environment for their new ‘guests’ … let us do it for the good of biodiversity and fisheries here.”

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/04/24/two-more-projects-to-release-aquatic-life-into-rivers/#ixzz1tftm5N36

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Sabah: Bearing fruit

Sabah: Bearing fruit

Asia | 29 Mar 2011

With Sabah’s leaders increasingly prioritising agricultural land and resources as a driver of economic growth, the state’s fruit and vegetable industry looks set for a growth surge in the months ahead.

On March 8, state news agency Bernama quoted the deputy chief minister of Sabah, Yahya Hussin, as saying he hoped to see the state producing more of its own agricultural produce as well as increasing exports to global markets. Yahya, who is also Sabah’s minister of agriculture and food industry, said during a visit to the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) that Sabah’s large tracts of abandoned and undeveloped land have great potential to increase the state’s agricultural production.

“The products are there in neighbouring countries, such as the Pamelo fruit from Sabah that is exported to Brunei and Singapore, but they are not enough. According to the FAMA briefing, our local products are still not able to meet the demand from overseas,” Yahya said. He made similar comments in February, saying that to meet increasing international demand – chiefly from Europe and the Middle East – Sabah needs to double its production of fresh and value-added pineapple for export. He cited 2009 statistics indicating that Sabah has a cultivated pineapple-growing area of 1066 ha, and that it exports pineapple worth RM14,240 ($4695) per ha per year to Sarawak and Brunei.

An announcement in early March by Del Monte Philippines that it is planning a large organic pineapple plantation covering 15,000 ha of land in Sabah and Sarawak was therefore welcomed by state leaders and the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (MPIB). MPIB’s director-general, Sahdan Salim, told local news outlets that the deal was expected to be finalised this year, and that Sabah and Sarawak were chosen because they have suitable tracts of land for large-scale pineapple farming. The project, which will involve extensive contract farming, should create a number of job opportunities for locals.

Malaysia exported RM78m ($26m) worth of canned and fresh pineapples in 2010, and this figure is expected to reach RM100m ($33m) this year, Salim said. Global imports of tropical fruit such as pineapple, papaya, melon and star fruit increased by a compound annual growth rate of almost 10% between 2001 and 2007.

Malaysia’s location in the tropical belt and its annual average rainfall of 2000 mm make it an ideal location for farming premium tropical fruit. Western consumers have a growing taste for tropical fruit, with the EU’s annual consumption of papaya and pineapples increasing by 8% and 16% respectively over the past five years. While it follows that market opportunities for selling fresh tropical fruit are there for the picking, those in the industry complain about the Malaysian agriculture sector’s lack of a demand-driven approach.

One concern is that markets such as the EU demand pesticide-free, environmentally sustainable produce, and Sabah’s farmers have not yet embraced this type of farming. Issues of scale and shortcomings in terms of agricultural best practice and integration have also hampered the state’s ability to tap into high-value export markets for fresh fruit and vegetables.

The average fruit farm size in Sabah is 1 ha, with fruit farmers earning an average of RM1860 ($613) per month, with this including governmental support of around RM250 ($82) per tonne. With rural areas accounting for 35% of Malaysia’s population and agriculture supplying almost 44% of rural jobs, improving agriculture productivity is seen as a vital step to closing the rural-urban income gap, which in 2009 was 1:1.82.

Promoting growth in the agricultural sector is therefore high on the government’s list of long-term priorities. Incentives for farmers and investors are laid out in the government’s Economic Transformation Programme, which is made up of various National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs). The Agriculture NKEA highlights three main goals: increasing gross national income (GNI) contribution by RM28.9bn ($9.5bn) to RM49.1bn ($16.2bn) in 2020, more than double the sector’s current size; creating 74,600 job opportunities, most of which will be in rural areas; and raising participating farmers’ incomes.

The Agriculture NKEA offers 16 entry point projects (EPPs), or business opportunities, meant to jump-start the sector. Produce comes under EPP 7, which calls for upgrading the capability to produce fruit and vegetables for high-value export markets and creating contract-farming clusters. To achieve greater economies of scale, existing farms will be modernised and act as contract farmers for larger anchor companies. Around 9000 ha of oil palm plantation land has been identified for intercropping of banana and pineapple during the oil palm replanting period.

If successful, the result would be high-quality fruit and vegetables that comply with food safety standards, allowing access to high-value markets in the Middle East and Europe. Increased export market penetration would enable Sabah’s farmers to charge higher prices for their produce, raising incomes to an estimated RM4500 ($1484) per ha. In all, the EPP is expected to contribute RM1.6bn ($528m) to Malaysia’s GNI and create 9100 jobs by 2020.

Globalisation has opened up the world to international cuisine, resulting in increased demand in developed markets for a growing range of foods. As people around the world develop cravings for fare such as pineapple curry and papaya salsa, Sabah looks well placed to help meet this demand – and profit from it.

Sources: http://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/economic_updates/sabah-bearing-fruit

Green Sabah says: The Sabah government has always been supportive to boost the agriculture sector in Sabah as  they are concern about providing food security to the state and people. The government will be utilizing the use of biotechnology in order to improve agriculture in Sabah. 

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Saving Marine Life with Artificial Reefs

Marine life and fish stock in Sabah has been falling at an alarming rate in the past 10 years. DCM Datuk Yahya Hussin has been sinking numerous artificial reefs into the sea to ensure that the fishes and other marine life will breed abundantly.

The official statistics showed that the fishes have dropped by a worrying rate of 92% over the last 36 years from 2.5 tonnes per square kilometre in 1979 to 210kg in 2007. The Sabah fishery industry will face a serious threats if fish yields drops by 15% every 10 years.

The reason for the reduction of fish numbers are due to over fishing activities and the use of fish bombs and cyanide as fishing methods. Some Sabah prized species such as parrot fish, groupers, snappers and sharks are now facing extinction from these irresponsible actions.

About RM400,000 ringgit worth of concrete reefs that are reinforced with steel have been recently sunk into the sea off Putatan, these artificial reefs can last for 50 years. The Sabah government has spent slightly more than RM4 million on artificial reefs that was dropped into the waters off Kota Kinabalu, Beaufort, Tuaran, Kudat, Sandakan and Tawau.

The artificial reefs begins to teem with marine life in about 4 months time, which is faster than marine biologist thought possible. By dropping artificial reefs in the water, this would keep the local 24,000 fishermen in work and assured that the people will continue to have an abundance of seafood.

Source: http://insightsabah.gov.my/article/read/1615 

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