Organic livestock farming programme benefits 863 participants - Ronald

BELURAN, Dec 4   -- The Organic Agriculture (Livestock) programme has benefited 863 participants in 253 communities nationwide, who have carried out organic projects including those for kampung chicken, ducks, quail, rabbits and goats.

Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI) Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee said through this programme, conducted on a community basis, assistance has been provided in the form of grants of between RM30,000 and RM50,000 for each community.

"The ministry encourages organic livestock farming for safe and clean produce through this programme. Organic livestock farming care should be done meticulously without the use of pesticides or medical drugs.

"Disease prevention and control must also be done completely organically apart from ensuring that the food sources and livestock environment are free from chemicals," he said when officiating at the programme in Kampung Batangon Darat, Paitan, near here, in Sabah today.

Ronald said MAFI had allocated RM50 million under the Food Guarantee Fund for livestock programme, involving 1,000 communities or groups covering agriculture, livestock and fisheries projects.

He also said that more than RM1 million had been allocated for the programme's implementation which mainly involved the rearing of organic kampung chicken.

Ronald added that RM13.55 million had also been allocated to the Veterinary Services Department (DVS), the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) and Farmers' Organisation Authority (LPP) for livestock purposes.

-- BERNAMA