Article: Hard work pays off

Friday August 28, 2009

By SAM CHEONG

AFTER two years of waiting, farmer Wong Chun Keat is a now a very happy man.

Hard work and persistence paid off when his 16ha farm in Karak, Pahang, was recently certified by the Department of Agriculture for Good Agricultural Practice (GPA).

Wong, 39, attributed his success to sheer determination and the will to learn and adapt to new technologies in sustainable farming.

A far cry from the past, the farmer now has the rights to produce crops that are free from harmful pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilisers.

With a capital investment of half-a-million ringgit, he said he was far from being contented.

Wong said the GPA certification had put his farm on par with his overseas counterparts who produce crops with a high standard in quality control.

QUALITY ASSURED: Wong showing off his produce.

"To qualify for the programme, I had to apply for an accreditation and submit samples of my crops to the Department of Agriculture where they are tested for chemical fertilisers and pesticide content.

"In order to obtain the high standards, the vegetables should not contain heavy metals, harmful chemicals and synthetic particles when subjected to a series of laboratory analysis."

Wong said he went through much anxiety awaiting the test results and failure did not deter him from going through the entire process again.

As a condition to the GPA programme, the vegetables, he added, were grown with natural fertilisers and protected with mild pesticide before harvest.

At the farm, nothing is wasted. Agricultural waste is recycled as compost and then mixed with manure to produce fertilisers.

The knowledge, Wong said, was adapted from his friend who is a Japan-trained bio-technologist.

The recycled farm waste was converted into fertilisers, he said, ensuring long-term soil usage with minimal damage and loss of nutrients needed to nurture the growing plants.

"By using natural nutrients, we do not depend on chemical fertilisers – resulting in healthier plants that are more resistant to diseases.

"As for pest control, micro-organisms in the form of friendly bacteria are used to deter and combat harmful insects."

The GAP certification, he said, was an assurance of a commitment to preserve the environment and long-term sustainable farming.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Metro: North 28 August 2009