THE AGRI & AQUA CULTURING NEWSLETTER

To Further Malaysias Agriculture & Aquaculture Industry

Issue 4 February 2012

Introduction
THE AGRI & AQUA CULTURING NEWSLETTER is prepared with the intention to provide the reader with information about the agriculture and aquaculture industry in Malaysia, while gathering insights and information on industry development and practices, as well as training opportunities offered by the Government and Private sector. The Newsletter seeks to gather like-minded individuals who are willing to share ideas and experiences in the field.

FROM THE CULTIVATORS COUCH:

What an eventful New Year it has been so far!!! Seriously, so many things have been taking place over the last one month, not the least to say is the drastic climate changes being observed all over the world. For sure, this year will present itself as a significant challenge to the agriculture and aquaculture community. As such, it is critical that we continue to update ourselves on these events, and be prepared. A special shout-out of thanks to a surprising group of readers of the Newsletter!!! These great people have not only been reading and downloading, but have also been contacting us on additional information!! Its indeed great to hear from them, and to get feedback on how things are going at the grass-root level, so once again, thank you for reading the Newsletter!!!

CONTENT OF THE FEBRUARY 2012 ISSUE:

Agriculture Biosecurity
by MJ Joel

Preventing Flooding of Your Young Plant

by Johnny Lak

Home Remedies for H1N1 Prevention

by Senny Ong

Farm Visitor Number One by Raymond Aquaculture Part 2 by MJ Joel Upcoming Events

8 11 16

If you have itchy fingers for writing articles about Agriculture or Aquaculture, and wish to contribute your knowledge and experiences, please contact us:

Email: agrinaquanewsletter@gmail.com

Disclaimer: Reasonable care have been utilised in the preparation of the content and text of the Agri & Aqua Culturing Newsletter (henceforth referred as the Newsletter). Notwithstanding this, due to constant changes and advancement in the agriculture and aquaculture industries, we are not able to ensure the accuracy or reliability of the information provided in the Newsletter. For this reason, the reader is advised to undertake necessary due diligence on the information before relying on the same for any purpose whatsoever. The publisher, key contributors, and related associates disclaim any and all liability whatsoever and howsoever occasioned relating to the information provided in and content of, the Newsletter. We do not endorse any opinion, advice or statement published in the Newsletter Permissions and reprints: All rights reserved. Reproduction without express and written permission is strictly prohibited. To request permission to republish in any form whatsoever, please contact: agrinaquanewsletter@gmail.com

Issue 4 February 2012

Agriculture Biosecurity: The Threat of Disease on World Agriculture Systems

Food safety and animal health is an important aspect of the agriculture community, and continual improvements on biosecurity are an integral aspect of world agriculture systems. However, recent years have seen a range of biosecurity problems which are notable for its high costs, including the loss of human life. These incidences of disease outbreaks in agriculture systems around the world have garnered much publicity about the shortcomings of agricultural biosecurity, and the perceived threat of new or mutant species of pathogens are of particular concern, as observed in the recent E. coli outbreak in Europe. The Spread of Agricultural Diseases: A Background View While accidental, human-assisted movements of pests and pathogens have been attributed as a lead factor in agricultural biosecurity breaches, other mechanisms of introduction are fast emerging. For instance, the spread of bluetongue disease amongst sheep in Europe was found to be related to the range extension of culicid fly vectors, likely as a result of climate change favoring the breeding and spread of the culicid fly. Another example is the African tick, a potential vector of cattle diseases, which has been rapidly spreading into new countries in recent decades due to the range extension of the cattle egret, a carrier of the tick to new tropical countries. In recent years, an even more alarming trend in agricultural disease incidences is the emergence of new or mutant variants of pathogens and pests. As case in point is the potato late blight, responsible for the Irish potato famine, which continues to evolve and spread new virulent forms. In East Africa, wheat stem rust has recently re-emerged after decades of suppression with resistant varieties, creating a global biosecurity risk if it begins to spreads outside of East Africa. The Issues and Shortcomings of Current Agricultural Biosecurity Systems In many cases of breaches in biosecurity, the spread of disease is caused by increased global trade, transport, and travel. As such, the primary goal of any successful agricultural biosecurity program has been to prevent entry of a pathogen or pest into a susceptible population of plants or animals. However, when preventive measures fail, it is vital to have early detection, rapid and accurate assessment, and immediate implementation of various interventions that prevent the spread, control the infection, and then begin the recovery phase. As observed in recent events in Europe and the U.S., the current scientific status of diagnostic methods for either plants or animals does not meet these criteria for many pathogens or pests. Effective systems for detecting, reporting and effectively mitigating outbreaks of new diseases or pests are lacking, while rapid, specific, and low-cost diagnostic methods are still a rarity in agriculture, compared with those available for human health problems. This is due in part to the lack of necessary information to permit use of time- and cost-effective modern techniques. In other instances, some of the needed scientific information is available, but the methods have not been fully validated, laboratories lack the resources to purchase the equipment needed to perform these tests, or the funding for initial developmental work has not been available. There are also instances where there is a lack of validated intervention strategies that could be applied to food production, processing and distribution systems once an event has occurred. In fact, existing strategies could actually make the problems worse and amplify the economic impact.

Issue 4 February 2012

Technology Driven Solutions With a range of potential new threats from pests and diseases, governments must prioritize funding in prevention, eradication and control. Many have recommended that new strategies and technologies that can be integrated with the existing food production infrastructure is needed. This must be based on solid systems analysis that emphasizes the vulnerabilities and critical nodes in the agriculture and food distribution system. Three fields of rapidly developing science are come together today to create these opportunities: i. Advances in nucleic acid research and immunology will make the identification of diseases from samples both fast and inexpensive. Tools for characterizing diseases new to science, or variants of existing diseases, will use the growing omics knowledge to predict the biology, host range and pathogenicity of new pathogens before they spread. Advances in engineering, including miniaturization and nanotechnology, will allow the creation of small, portable biosensors. This technology is already in prototype for human diseases. Applied to animal and plant systems, it will provide pen- or field-side testing and diagnosis for a range of threats. Ultimately, microarray technology may permit a national biosecurity chip for diagnosis of all current threats to agriculture. In addition, methods for high-throughput screening for disease in humans, animals and plants in areas of concentration could be implemented, such as ports. Rapid, non-invasive detection of characteristic volatiles or electromagnetic radiation from infected individuals could greatly extend capacity for intercepting new introductions, perhaps in concert with portable

on-the-spot detectors once suspect shipments are identified. iii. Advances in information technology and data mining will facilitate the handling of large amounts of epidemiological and other data essential to disease surveillance and prediction. New technologies for data mining and fusion will lead to global surveillance systems which will pick up unusual patterns of morbidity and mortality and monitor and predict the spread of disease. The use of webbased information systems and disease alert networks to detect and track the recent epidemics showed the potential value of this technology for rapid action against emerging diseases.

Conclusion In conclusion, frequent agricultural biosecurity breaches and more expensive trade losses and eradication programs is likely to favor a more proactive and preventative collaboration to stop new pests and diseases at their source. Ultimately, advances in detection, monitoring and modeling of biosecurity threats and biotechnology for plant and animal resistance will be an important feature of this inevitable evolution of biosecurity systems.

ii.

Article by MJ Joel

Issue 4 February 2012

Simple Yet Effective Method to Prevent Flooding of Your Young Plants Yo

From September 2011 till the end of the year my farm in Lenggeng presented me with a tremendous challenge. How do I have young plants surviving during nts the monsoon season when my place is prone to flooding?? The answer is to build a MOUNTAIN or in technical term mounding. Its a simple method where the farmer ounding. plants on top of the mountain bed to prevent water clogging of the young plantlet. This is a labor intensive job but it is useful in the long run for those who have lands that are prone to flooding of their land.

Mounding of the Jackfruit plants

When mounding was NOT done. ounding

Mounding of the Banana plant

hen When it rains it usually floods my plant and clogs it in water and the plant will die a natural death afterwards.

Issue 4 February 2012

So being the new age farmer that we are, we have to follow up with time and adjust to environment rather than sticking to the old way of doing things. Because when I did this method, an old farmer told me its useless and a waste of time doing that because your plants will still flood and die and the worst part How Can You Apply Fertiliser Effectively?? The answer to that question will be in the next issue. :D

Article by Johnny Lak

The result after mounding

The result after mounding is that I have less trees dying due to water clogging of their plant trees and roots roots.

Issue 4 February 2012

Home Remedies for H1N1 Prevention

For those with sore throat please blend the apples and keep on taking till your fever disappears and till the symptoms are gone. It is claimed that there is a testimonial attesting this home remedy, which is that of an infected H1N1 patient in KL, who was put in a quarantined room after 2 days with his eyes turning yellow and saliva greenish ning greenish. His parents were told by someone to give a simple prescription, which was the apple juice for the whole day. he was out of the fever and eating normal and all normal, these happened within just 4 days. 2nd home remedies: Taking Raw Garlic Recently I got a few home remedies for H1N1 prevention from friends by email on how to. It has been from "Chinese Liong Cha" (Chinese herbal tea) to ha" raw fruit and juices. How much truth about it, Ive yet to try it by yourself, since it is easy home remedy no harm trying and most important that's is simply simple. Taking garlic and eating minimum of 6 Green apples Taking per day Plus fresh orange juice

1st home remedies: Eat At Least 6 Green Apples A Day and Drink Fresh Orange Juice Garlic is used for both medicinal and culinary purposes. Its medicinal use and health be benefits as carminative, aphrodisiac, expectorant, stimulant, anticancer actions an excellent remedy for cough, difficulty of breathing, and most other disorders of the lungs, improve cholesterol and it has great antibiotic too. Plus good source of vitamins C, B6 and the minerals selenium and manganese. Before you go to bed at night, prepare this magic potion: Finely chop or use the food blender to chop up two cloves of fresh garlic and let it expose to the air for a few minutes while you wash up your blender or chopping board.

Issue 4 February 2012

The chopping releases the enzyme alliinase in the garlic. Swallow the chopped garlic with water. Garlic is smelly and the unstable sulphide is more powerful than any antibiotic and is potent in crushed fresh garlic. tive The garlic will travel your entire digestive tract while you sleep and scavenge and neutralize all the toxins, carcinogens, harmful bacteria, fungi, viruses, foreign chemical before they can harm your healthy cells. It help speed recovery from strep throat or other minor ailments because of its antibiotic properties. Garlic promotes healthy digestion and protects the body from toxins produced by the infection. Swallowing the chopped garlic will not give you garlic breath, as long as you don't chew it. You brush your teeth and rinse your mouth before you go to bed fore anyway. In the morning, drink a big glass of water. Your first bowel movement will have a strong garlic odor and you will know that the harmful stuff have been eliminated from your body. Try it, especially if you have had a bad eating day. Remember taking with moderation. Eating two cloves fresh garlic can reach the best effect for diseases resistance. Overdose with garlic may feel irritation of or even damage to the digestive tract. Due to its antibacterial function you can make Garlic rice, garlic soup or taking Garlic and Parsley oil instead of swall swallow raw garlic for children.

Lime peels and Manuka Honey Drink Ingredients: 2 limes (Only take the lime peel ) 1 or 2 tbsp. of Manuka Honey (individual sweetness depends) 200 cc water Preparation: 1. Bring to boil 200cc of water together with lime peels. Cook it for 15 minutes. 2. Remove lime peel. Just take the lime peel water. 3. Pour into a glass and add in Manuka Honey and serve warm. This is good natural cough syrup to ease the common flu, coughing and irritating throat. if serious sore throat and coughing. Continuously taking the fluid for the whole day. Best to take it before meal. Limes or Lemon contain unique flav flavonoid compounds that have antioxidant. Lemon or Limes juice called limonoids have been shown to help fight disease of the mouth, skin, lung, breast, stomach and colon. I prefer to use limes as it is locally or organically grown partly due to the wax coatings as this recipe is to use the lime peel.. Those conventionally growth lemon and . lime may be waxed to pr protect them from bruising during shipping. Why used lime peel?

My other alternative method of prevention for flu, cough and sore throat As long as it is toxin-less and alternative healing, I opt less for this drink for quite sometimes for soothing my throat.

As it has small measurable amounts of oxalate, but for those suffered or already existing and untreated kidney problems may want to avoid eating lemon or lime peels.

Article by Senny Ong http://sennyong.blogspot.com http

Disclaimer: Most important is to understand what is right for your health condition, although herbs are safe for some people, if you wish to try it is advisable for you to consult with your holistic health practitioner or doctor first. No matter what type of healing herbs or alternativ healing method, we alternative still have to be careful in consumption, start off slowly and minimize it to prevent overdoses with it.

Issue 4 February 2012

Farm Visitor Number One

We had our first visitor to our farm, a good friend in his early fifties. He is trying to escape the hustle and bus bustle of city life. His wife came with him, most probably , trying to bring back some romance in their life. They were with us for 7 days.

The View on Signal Hill d Second stop is the Jesselton Wharf. Kota Kinabalu was called Jesselton during the colonial days. This wharf was refurbished and is now called Jesselton Point. This is the wharf where you can take the ferries to the surrounding islands and even to Labuan. Proton Saga 1.3 Auto We started off by hiring a car. We called lots of the so called cheaper rental that offers low rental rates. All of them do not have an immediate car for us. Most of them are privateers and have only a single vehicle for rental. We finally found Kinabalu Car rental spoke with rental, Miss Tan, who offer us a good rental and even deliver the car to us. The car a Proton Saga 1,300 Auto is a sufficient performer, it even surprised me. T car is The very new and it sufficient to even traveled t through the Kimanis bypass. Once we took delivery of the car, and checked out of the hotel, we proceed to Signal Hill. This used to be an . observatory point. It offers a magnificent vi view of Kota Kinabalu and its surrounding. We can see the whole city and some adjacent island. There is also the Atkinson Clock Tower nearby.

Jesselton Warf sselton The islands attractions include Tunku Abdul Raham Park, Gaya Island, Sapi Island, Manukan Island, Suluk , Island and Mamutik Island. This is the ticketing count counter and on the walls there are the historical pictures of Jesselton. You can spend some time to look through the historical pictures.

Issue 4 February 2012

We stopped by a hanging bridge just for our guess to have a feel of crossing a hanging bridge. Crossing the hanging bridge is easy if you walk with the rhythm. This is where you board the ferries. Hives of activities during the morning and evening. During night time, the place is crowded by dinners or people out for a drink. There is another famous island, made popular by the show, Survivor Island. It's called Pulau Tiga. You can go . to this island by making your way to Kuala Penyuh, and take a ferry there. At the Farm

We then proceed to visit a Durian farm in Mengbankut. It's a small town near Beaufort. The durians is bearing fruits and maybe 3 months latter we can come again nths for a durian feast. The durians are of the clone Red Prawn.

Issue 4 February 2012

As usual all good things has to come to an end. It's time for our guest to go home after staying seven days with us. We all had a great time and off we send them to the Tung Mah Express bus station. Their flight home is in the late evening.

Our guest has the opportunity of testing out various machineries and to live out his childhood again. We have ploughing machine, chainsaw, grass cutter and lots of hand tools.

Article by Raymond

10

Issue 4 February 2012

Aquaculture Part 2: Planning the Site and the Type of Fish Farm
Last month we covered about how aquaculture is set to become the next big agriculture enterprise after oil palm plantations. Staying in line with our program for the year, we will cover the first bases of starting up an ver aquaculture business: planning and site selection. Planning a Fish Farm Before any construction work can take place, the farmer must first consider where to build the ponds, what kind to build, and how many to build. M Most importantly, the farmer must decide the kind of fish culture he wants to do, and the type of fish he wants to raise. All resource available, such as water source, topography, and even shape of the land should be carefully looked over and considered bef before actually building and operating a fish pond. (A) Water Supply

factor in selecting Water supply is the most important f a site. Fish depend upon water for all their nee If a needs. site has water available year year-round, that site meets its first test easily. If water is not available all the time but st there is some way to store water, i.e. in large tanks, barrels or drums, in depressions, ponds, or wells for wells, use when the natural water supply is low, then that he site may still be all right. The key, of course, is that water must b available at all be times and in good supply. Where Can Water for Fish Ponds Come From? Water used in ponds comes from many sources: Rainfall: Some ponds, called "sky" ponds, rely only on rainfall to fill their need for water However, water. rainwater collection requires some level of care, especially at sites located close to industrial zones or the city, as airborne pollutants can easily taint rain water (acid rain), which is detrimental to aquatic species. gravel Run-off: Some ponds are grave and sand pits which fill when water from the surrounding land area runs into them. Again, care needs to be taken, . especially if the site is located on/near agriculture land. Residual agriculture chemicals such as pesticide, herbicides and even fertilizers could taint run-off water. For obvious reasons, former off industrial land and ex and ex-mining land should also be considered with care. Natural waters: Most ponds a filled with water are that comes from natural springs or wells, or with water that has been channeled (diverted) and brought in from streams, rivers, or lakes. Such m water is abundant, but normally bring with it r other aquatic organisms that could compete with aquaculture species, or worse, prey prey-upon them.

Topic 1: The Site Factors which make a site good for a fish pond There are three factors that must come together to make a good site for a fish pond: Water supply Soil Topography

11

Issue 4 February 2012

Springs: Some ponds are built where there is a ere spring to supply water. Spring water is water under the ground that has found a way to get out. It leaves the ground and becomes a stream as it ound flows away. Spring water is good for fish ponds od because it is usually clean (uncontamina (uncontaminated) and has no unwanted fish or fish eggs in it. If the water s from a spring has travelled very far, it may need to be filtered before it is used for a fish pond. But ore filtering is easy to do, and the important fact is that the water supply is available pond is Wells: The best source of water for a fish p well water. Well water has few contaminants and, if the well is a good one, the water is continuously ater available. Well water and spring water, however, are both often low in oxygen content. Fish need to have oxygen in their water to live. Since this ter problem is overcome easily, the major factor to be e considered here is an adequate water supply.

When a pond floods, all the fish escape, and the pond d is empty at harvest time. If the water for the pond is being taken from a stream, lake, or river, then the farmer should plan to filter t the water carefully when filling the pond. Water from these sources sometimes contains unwanted fish o s or fish eggs. Filtering prevents these fish or eggs, and other harmful animals, from entering the pond. Quality of the Water Supply Finding an adequate water supply is the first step. Then the farmer has to check that supply to make sure it can eck be used for a pond. This check of the water should include: Looking at the water, smelling it and tasting it. Looking to see if there is a fa family upstream who take baths in the water before it gets to the pond. Making sure that there is no family or village aking downstream that depends upon the source for their drinking water If the water supply seems all right the farmer must right, also find the answers to some other questions. Where the water comes from, how far it travels to get to the he site for the pond, and what kind of soil it travels over e will all affect the quality of the water. These questions y and their answers tell what must be done to make the water right for a pond: Is the water very clear? Then t farmer may have the to fertilize the pond bec because there are not enough nutrients in the water. . Is the water very muddy? Then i will have to s it settle before it is used in the pond A special place pond. will have to be made where the mud can settle out of the water before the water goes into the t pond. green? Is the water a bright green It probably has too much nutrients in it. Is the water a dark, smelly brown? It may have acid in it, and the farmer will have to add lime to the water.

Most fish ponds use water that comes from a stream, river, or lake. A diversion ditch or channel is dug between the water source and the pond to take water from source to pond. This is a good way to fill a pond because the water can be controlled easily. When the pond is full, the channel can be blocked with a gate or a plug, and the water will stop moving into the pond. ill There can be problems with this kind of water supply supply, eg. flooding in the rainy season, where extra water , must be diverted away from the pond by a channel built for that purpose. IT IS BEST NOT TO CHOOSE A PLACE THAT IS KNOWN TO FLOOD WHEN CHOOSING A WATER SUPPLY AND SITE FOR A POND. .

12

Issue 4 February 2012

(B)

Soil Structure

te The second important part of site selection is the soil of the area. The soil of the pond must be able to hold water. It also contributes to the fertility of the wa water because of the nutrients it contains. Ability of Soil to Hold Water The best soil for a pond contains a lot of clay. Clay soil holds water well. When a place with a good water supply is found, the farmer must test the soil. He can tell a lot about the soil simply by feeling it. If the so soil feels gritty or rough to the touch, it probably contains a obably lot of sand. If it feels smooth and slippery, it probably means there is a lot of clay in it. This smooth soil is good for a fish pond. A very good way to tell if the soil is right for a fish pond is to wet a handful of soil with just eno enough water to make it damp (Fig. 1), and then squeeze the soi (Fig. hen soil 2). If it holds its shape when the farmer opens his mer hand, it will be good for a pond. Remember, the more clay in the soil, the better it is for building a pond (Fig. etter 3).

Figure 2

Figure 3

If the soil is sandy, or does not contain much clay, the farmer can still build a pond. There are ways of building ponds in these soils. But he should be aware ng that building a fish pond in such soils requires more ond effort and may not be as successful. D Digging test holes will tell the farmer what his soil is. Larger ponds can be built in soils with cla If the soil is clay. rocky or has shifting sand, etc., only small ponds a are possible. If there are other locations available, the farmer would be wise to see if there is another place with soil better suited to the fish pond.

Figure 1

13

Issue 4 February 2012

Ability of Soil to Provide Nutrients Soil also contributes to the pond's fertility. Fertility is a measure of the nutrients in the pond, and it simply e refers to how much food there is available in the pond s for the fish to eat. A very fertile pond is one whi which contains a lot of fish food. The soil of the pond contains some of these necessary nutrients like iron, ca calcium, and magnesium. In addition, however, soil also can contain acids, and these substances often are harmfu harmful to fish. Whatever a soil has in it is drawn into the pond by the water and thus comes in contact with the fish. Sometimes after a heavy rainstorm, there are big fish m, kills in new ponds. This happens becaus the heavy because rain carries larger amounts of acids from the soil into the pond. So the farmer who is aware of the kind of soil he has for his fish pond can prevent this problem before it happens. quality of soil is REMEMBER: One good indicator of the qu whether it has been used for growing crops. If crops grow well in that location, the soil will probably be good for the fish pond. If crops did grow well there sh before the nutrients were used up, then it will probably still be free of harmful substances. (C) Topography

in height, from high to low point, is the slope of the land. In more scientific terms, slope is the relationship between the horizontal dist distance (length) and the vertical distance (elevation) over a piece of land. Slope evation) is usually written as a ratio ( (1:2) or as a percentage (5%). A slope of 1:2 means that for every change in length of 2 meters, there is a change of 1 meter in height. A slope of 5% means that for every change in ans length of, say, 100cm, there is a change in height of 5cm. Pond bottoms usually have a slope of 2 2-5%, whether they are on level ground or in a hilly area. As hether long as the pond bottom has a slope, it can be drained d completely. A farmer does not require a scientific understanding of slope to build a pond. He doe need to know how the does shape of his land determines the best place for building ponds. Ponds built in hilly places often are made part of the hill. The picture below of a pond with a spring as a water source shows how the slope of the land has s been used to set up the pond's drainage system.

The third factor in site selection is topogra topography. The topography of the land determines the kin of ponds kinds which can be built. Ponds can be built in valleys or on flat ground. They can be square or rectangular, or quare uneven in shape. They can be large or smal All of this small. is determined by topography of the land, as well as by the farmer's requirements. The most useful topography for fish ponds is that which allows the farmer to fill and drain ponds using gravity. Ponds built on a slope, for example, can be drained easily. If ponds are located on flat land, the s pond must be built with a slope inside it s it can be so drained by gravity, or it will have to be drained using a ve pump. e, If the farmer looks at a hillside, he can see that it rises. It is higher at one point than at another. This difference

In flatter areas, ponds are usually squa or rectangular square because it is easier to use a harvesting net in ponds of these shapes. The farmer will learn quickly to recog recognize by sight the slope that is best for a pond. Because a slope is so important, the first thing a farmer should look for is a site with a slope and a water sup supply. If he can use a natural slope for his pon the pond will be pond, cheaper and easier to construct.

14

Issue 4 February 2012

Conclusion for Part 2 It is important to remember that when a farmer builds a fish pond, he is choosing one use of his land instead of some other use. If the site for the pond is wellchosen, the pond can be more productive than the land by itself. But if it is not chosen well, the farmer may lose, or at best, gain nothing from his fish pond. When considering a site for the fish pond, the farmer should remember and consider several points: Often poor agricultural land can be turned into very good fish ponds. In general, the better the soil of an area, the better the fish pond. But this does not mean that a pond cannot be built on poor land. It does mean that the farmer will have to work harder to maintain the pond and the fish. If the pond is built on agricultural land which is not producing good crops, but the pond is cared for well, eventually the pond bottom soil will become more fertile than it was before. If this pond is a large one, after harvesting the fish, the pond can be planted again with a land crop, like corn, and allowed to grow. Then when the corn is harvested, the land can be turned back into a fish pond. This means that a farmer can get two good uses out of his land instead of one poor crop.

Aquaculture Part 3 will cover in detail the various types of fish farm cultures suited for commercial production.

Article by MJ Joel

15

Issue 4 February 2012

Upcoming Event Event Title

3rd International Agriculture Student Symposium 2012 National Food Technology Seminar 2012 International Seminar on Marine Science and Aquaculture 5th International Conference on Animal Nutrition 2012

Date
19-28 February 2012

Venue
UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

Website/E-mail

http://www.agri.upm.edu.my/iass/

6-7 March 2012

Renaissance Melaka Hotel, Melaka, Malaysia

www.nfts2012.mardi.gov.my/

13-15 March 2012

Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

www.ums.edu.my/ipmb/isomsa/

24-26 April 2012

Equatorial Hotel Melaka, Malaysia

www.ican2012.mardi.gov.my/

3rd International Biotechnology and Biodiversity 9-11 June Conference and 2012 Exhibition (BIOJohor 2012) 7th International Postharvest Symposium 2012 25-29 June 2012

Persada Johor International Convention Center, Johor, Malaysia

http://www.biojohor.my/2012/index.html

Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

www.agromedia.margi.gov.my/event/postharvest2012/

16

Issue 4 February 2012

Meet Our Team!

Johnny Lak
Businessman. Innovator. Activist. But not necessarily in that order. Keen entrepreneurial skills, and a great passion towards agriculture and knowledge. Operates farms in Pajam and Mantin.

Mr Farmer @ Raymond
Agriculture entrepreneur and passionate about living life with a sense of purpose, our friend owns a farm in Keningau over at the Land Beneath the Wind, Sabah.

KW Beh
Fertility, fertility, fertility. Thats what our UPM Grad constantly has on his mind while working for Twin Arrows Fertilizer. Want to improve crop production? Look him up for the solutions!

Senny Ong
Our resident Chinese Herbal Specialist with a passion for the bitter stuff. Enjoys helping people seek a healthier path in everyday life. Now say with her: Bitter herbs are our friends

MJ Joel
What do you get when you cross a potato with corn? Thats the sort of questions this bookworm and plant breeder seeks to answer. And its definitely not what you think it is, dirty fellow!

Contact Point: For more details about what we do, please refer to the Lowyat Forum Thread: Venturing into Agriculture& Aquaculture For further information or clarification please contact us at agrinaquanewsletter@gmail.com