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Aerobic rice, a keyto Malaysias foodsecurity

Durian goes internationalD urian is not something that we immedi-ately see as a star on the internationalfruit market but the king of fruits isslowly making its mark on the world, thanks toits increasing popularity among mainland andoverseas Chinese.

Singapore remains the biggest market forMalaysian durians, i mporting RM25.5 millionin 2012, followed by Hong Kong which boughtover RM2 million of the thorny delight and thethird biggest market is mainland China whichconsumed RM1.5 million worth of the fruit.

Indonesia and Australia follow closely behindthese key export markets and these are marketswith large overseas Chinese populations.

In the new millennium, durian has becomean exotic culinary exp erience with wealthy fansying into Malaysia and Singapore specially toenjoy the best fruits at their prime.

This rise in export is i n tandem with the in-creasing popularity of durians among MalaysianChinese and this has led to a revival of the cropwhich was slowly losing popularity in the 199 0s.

Before the decline, demand for durians camemostly from the indigenous Malay consumerswho were familiar with the fruit and consumed

it fresh and also fermented it for use as a cookingingredient.

Export of durians for consu mption is limitedto fresh fruit a nd this has been made possible byresearch done by the Malaysian AgriculturalResearch and Development Institute (MARDI)which has created some of the popular varietiesin the market.

The increasing popularity of durians in over-

seas markets is quite remarkable, consideringthat the fruit emits very strong odour and iseven prohibited in Ma laysian hotels. Specialisedpackaging has been developed to allow for airtransportation without disrupting passengercomfort.

Air transport is key to the durian exportmarket because the fruit does not travel well,having detached itself from the tree fully ripenedand has a tendency to deteriorate within a fewdays.

The high premium that durian commandsamong foodies makes it possible to use the bestmethods for packaging and transport to ensurethat it can reach the market in a pal atable state.

Durians reluctance to travel has resulted in aunique situation where wealthy enthusiasts makespecial trips to Malaysia just to ensure that theycan enjoy the fruit at its best.

A more concerted marketing campaign forthe king of fruits, building food tour packagesaround the durian season, can be explored asa way of encouraging durian consumption andensuring positive experience of the fruit.

More page 6-7

Aerobic rice is a

potential water saving rice production system andwill be the best option of

producing rice in water scarce environments

By: Dr. Sariam OthmanRice & Industrial Crops Research Centre,MARDI

The possibility of declining water availabilityin the future is a key threat to Malaysiasfood security, which mainly relies on ir-rigated lowland rice production system

which consumes large amounts of water.The current system irrigates rice elds with

1,200 2,0 00 milil itres of water, which is more thanthe actual eld and crop requirements.

The reasons for this expected decline in waterresource are diverse and location-specic. Theyinclude decreasing quality, decreasing resources,and increased competition from other sectors.

The increased demand of water for domesticand industria l uses is likely to receive priority overirrigation, causing less water to be made availablefor agriculture and force farmers to use less waterin rice production.

The declining water availability for irrigatedrice production may change the way rice is producedin the future. Among the more promising rice pro-duction systems that can adapt to water scarcityin rice production is alternate wetting and drying,saturated soil conditions, aerobic rice and improvedhill paddy production systems.

All water-saving rice production systems useless water and expose rice elds to periods withoutstanding water.

Yield and productivity were comparable under

saturated conditions but lower yield was observedwhen rice was grown under drier conditions thanfrom ooded rice.

Increased growth, higher dry matter productionand yield of rice under ooded conditions have beenattributed to increased nutrient availability due tophysical, chemical and biological reactions in soils.

Rice production under saturated soil conditionsis an alternative to alleviate the problem of watershortage in irrigated lowlands with proper irriga-tion infrastructures. Rice grown under saturatedsoil conditions reduced water input between 14 and22% and this represents increased water productiv-ity when compared with ooded rice.

More page 3

Great research isnothing if not sharedMinister Of Agriculture,Dato Sri Ismail Sabrisays:

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Welcometo Scientia

MARDIDear Friends of MARDI ,

Welcome to the First Issueof the SCIENTIA, MARDI `sR&D newsletter. We providebimonthly updates on R&Dactivities and share featuredarticles on diverse issues ofinterest in agriculture and

Agro fo od poli cy. At MARD I, we are dedi-

cated in contributing to the suc ces s of our cus tom ers , stakehol ders and valued andtrusted partners. We want towork in closer partnershipwith our clients and stake-holders.

We have revised our ap- proa ch to plan and deli ver stakeholder engag ement. Thisnewsletter will deliver some orall of the required informationas suggested .

A centra l comp onent ofthe newsletter is a roundup ofdetails of scientic events andresearch activities concerningfood, agriculture and relatedelds.

This rst issue of SCIEN-TIA outlines the scienticbreakthroughs and eventsrecently organized and in-troduces other initiativesand events to be held in thecoming period.

A r elevant section is thefeatured articles written byMARDIs scientists and fellow

personnel from the Mi nistryof Agriculture & Agro basedIndustry which highlights keyinitiatives and new technologythat has been developed.

The continuous nature ofour R&D activities and theneed to maintain momentumambition and enthusiasm is a

signi cant cha llenge to a ll ofus in MARDI.

It is also our great plea- sure to remind you that majorevents such as MAHA (Malay-

sian Agricult ure, Hor ticultur eand Agro tourism Showcase),the foremost trade show foragriculture in Malaysia, will beheld at MAEPS from 20 30thNovember.

The future success of ourNewsletter depends on yourcomments, contributions andideas! We do encourage all of

you to help improve SCIENTIA so that it s erves your need sas researchers and those ofthe market which will com-mercialise MARDIs researchefforts.

We look forward to better serve the n eed for informa-tion exchange throughoutthe food and agriculturecommunity. We hope youwill nd this a useful updateon our activities and wouldlike to thank everyone whohas supported this edition by

providi ng useful inform ation.

We hope you enjoy this IN- AUGURA L Issue and welcomefeedbacks to ensure we serve

you bet ter.

DATO DR. S HARIF HARONDIRECTOR GENERAL MARDI

Nanocomposite trayfrom agrowaste forserving food

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Weedy rice problemsolved

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Musseling intoaquaculture

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Ground breakingmethod of identifyingraw and processed meat

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Dukung anak provenwith potential anti-cancer properties

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1 s t E d i t i o n 2 0 1 4 M A R D I

9 772289 651006

ISSN 2289-6511

Make InclusiveInnovation a way oflife:Dato Dr. Sharif Haron

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March 2014Vol: 001

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Make InclusiveInnovation a way oflife

I nnovation is crucial towards achieving ahigh-income, high productivity economy thatwill propel the country towards a developedstatus.

Inclusive innovation will include R&D ininterdisciplinary studies that will result increation of practical designs and artefacts andbusiness models and services, processes or prod-ucts that can be seen as practical innovativesolutions to market or societal problems thatcreate a better future.

This approach will consider the interactionof humans and physical environment throughouteach step of the innovation creat ion value chainwhich will sometimes result in unplanned andunforeseen new inventions and capabilities fora better future.

Open innovation models that embrace theinnovation solutions ecosystem yield distinctive,relevant ideas with both commercial and socialdevelopment possibilities.

The source of innovation increasingly owsfrom individuals who are unconstrained by setcultures or organisations and are deeply com-mitted in changing the world around them forthe better.

The fuel to innovate is created when thesekind of people, with their vast expertise, lifeexperience, passion and ideas, come togetherwith free reign and in an environment poisedto support new possibilities.

Inclusive innovation studies will focus oninclusive solutions that are relevant to buildingMalaysias future by creating an environmentthat rewards risk taking in an unfettered en-vironment allowing for radical, unorthodoxapproaches with the potential to disrupt a riskthat is generally too costly for existing busi-nesses or governments to take.

DATO DR. SHARIF HARONDIRECTOR GENERAL MARDI

From page 1

Nitrogen fertilizer requirement was about18 26% lower for rice grown under saturatedsoils than flooded rice due to better nitrogenfertilizer utilization.

At the same time, the saturated soil con-ditions will minimise golden apple snails( Pomacea ca naliculata ) infestation since thepresence of standing water in the field causessnail infestation to spread rapidly.

Aerobic rice is a potential water saving riceproduction system and will be the best option ofproducing rice in water scarce environments.

The availability of aerobic rice varieties thatcan withstand aerobic conditions, respond wellto irrigation and fertilizers, compete againstweeds and deliver high yield, is crucial tomaking aerobic rice cultivation successful.

Yield of aerobic rice is generally lowerthan flooded rice especially when grown con-tinuously for several seasons, mainly due toirregular water availability, weed infestationand nutrient stresses, and a combination ofthese factors.

Since weeds are major constraints to aerobicrice, it must be effectively controlled throughintegrated weed management.

Management and options to improve theearly growth of aerobic rice in order to makethe crop more competitive against weeds areessential. In addition, appropriate nutrient andother crop management practices will ensurea successful aerobic rice production system.

The next stage The impact of possible future water shortage

on national rice production may be mitigated orovercome completely if rice can be grown withminimum water under saturated and aerobicsoil conditions.

The two rice production systems mentionedhowever, need different management systemsfrom the normal flooded rice in order to producegood rice yield.

Growing irrigated rice under saturatedconditions offers great water-saving potentialfor rice cultivation in Malaysia and may playa key role in ensuring the sustainability ofirrigated rice production.

Reduction in yield for rice grown under

saturated conditions, if any, can be avoidedthrough various measures such as timely ir-rigation and coordination of irrigation withfertilization and weed control.

A well-leveled field, field and in-field ditchesto facilitate irrigation and more intensive landpreparation are some of the pre-requisites forsuccessful rice production in saturated soilconditions.

Aerobic rice cultivation is another al-ternative for producing rice in water scarceenvironment. To make aerobic rice cultiva-tion successful, the availability of aerobic ricevarieties is crucial.

The aerobic rice varieties grown must beable to withstand aerobic condition, responds toirrigation and fertilizers, competitive againstweeds and deliver a high yield.

The development of rice production technol-ogy in water scarce environment will increaserice production and ensure that national riceproduction and the Self-Sufficiency Level (SSL)in rice will not be affected by the water scarcitydue to climate change.

ManagingpostharvestlossesBy: Dr. Rosa RoelleFAO Regional Office For Asia andthe Pacic Bangkok

Postharvest losses account for themajorityoffood lossin developingcountries in Asia and the Pacic

regionandthelevelsoflossesarehighestinthetraditionalchainsthatsupplymassmarketsintheregion.

Amongthebiggestcontributorstopostharvestlossesarepost-harvestdiseases,pestinfestation,poorbulkpackaging,poortransportationpracticesandthe humanfactor.

With increasing population andmore competitive demand for land andagriculturespace,uncheckedfoodlosseseither through consumer wastage orpost-harvestlosseshavethepotentialforcausingnutritiondeciencyinthe regioninthe future.

Productionorientedtraditionalsupplychainswithweakmarketingorientationand fragmented production units tendtolimitthe useof thelatestpost-harvesttechnologies and this leads to higherpostproduction lossesdueto thehighernumber of layers of handlers betweenproductionandconsumption.

Traditionalfarmersanddistributionchainshavelimitedknowledgeofmodernpost-harvestt echnologiesand thiscoupledwith minimal institutional support fortechnologyimprovementisperpetuatingthesituation.

The rate of food waste increase is

furtherexacerbatedbytheincreasingaf-uenceoftheregionwhichisnowcausingmore food waste to be generated at thediningtable.

SouthandSouth-East Asiacontributes23%oftotalworldfoodwaste,making usthesecondlargestcontributortothetotalafterindustrialisedAsia.

Theissuestobeaddressedintheefforttoreducefoodwastearemanyand keyamongthemare raisingawarenessandadvocacytochangeconsumerandstake-holderattitudestofoodlossandfoodwaste.

Thedevelopmentofpost-harvestlossreduction strategies for the region isanotherimportantstepandthis canbeachieved through capacity building ofstakeholdersinfood supplychains.

A policythatpromotesthe environ-mentforpost-harvestdevelopmentintheregionshouldbeinplacewithinvestmentsininfrastructuretosupportpostharvesttechnologies.

TheFoodandAgricultureOrganisa-tion(FAO)oftheUnitedNationsrecentlylaunched the Save Food Asia and thePacicCampaignaspart oftheir GlobalInitiativeon FoodLoss andFood WasteReduction: SaveFood.

The regional campaign is aimed atraising awareness and drawing atten-tionto thehighlevelsof foodlossesandthegrowing problem of foodwaste andtheirimpactsacrossAsiaandthePacicRegion.

Nanocomposite tray fromagrowaste for serving foodBy: Dr. Azman Hamzah &Faewati Abd KarimMechanisation & AutomationResearch Centre, MARDI

R ecycling is an importantway of reducing our con-sumption of natural re-sources and one of the ways isby re-using biological fibre andbiopolymers from agrowasteand converting them intonatural biocomposites.

Examples of these naturalbiocomposites are rice strawand rice husks that come frompaddy harvesting, pineappleleaf fibre from pineapple har-vesting and kenaf fibre fromnew commodity.

A small quantity of nano-clay is incorporated as areinforcement to improve theproperties of the nanocompos-ite.

The growing urgency to useenvironmentally friendly orgreen materials with the aimof replacing non-degradablematerials and reducing theenvironmental pollution thatresults from large amounts ofplastic waste, has made themmore commercially importanttoday.

This innovative agrowasteproduct offers nanoclaystrength from biodegradablematerials that decomposenaturally over a short periodof time.

These degradable mate-

rials are very useful to theenvironment as it eliminatesmigration of sty rene monomerfrom polystyrene into food.

The impact of usingthis product is very high asenvironmentally harmfulpolystyrene is prevalent inthe food packaging industryand they can be easily replacedwith biodegradable agrowastenanocomposite materials.

Apart from reducingpolystyrene use, migration tothe environment can reduceenvironmental pollution(open burning) while allow-ing farmers to reduce manpower and cost of managingthe agriculture waste.

However, the change frompolystyrene to agrowaste

nanocomposite may requirethe government to enhanceconsumer awareness on envi-ronment friendly material forpackaging.

These new materials havegreat commercial potential forthe manufacture of food tr aysand reduce the health effect onconsumers through leachate ofharmful substances into foodthat is packed i n polystyrenecontainers.

The production process ofnanocomposite food trays isrelatively simple and requiresprior drying of the agrowastematerials before shreddingand further grinding. Theycan then be mixed before finalextrusion or forming througha hot-press process.

Agrowaste Product

Drying ShreddingGrindingMixingCompounding

ShreddingExtrusionHot press

PROCESSING

ComponentAmount of

water saved(mm)

Land preparation (nopuddling) 190

Seepage and percolation(no standing water) 250

Evaporation of surfacewater 80

Transpiration 25

Total 545

Source: Chan,C.S. (2013)

Amount of water saved from aerobic riceproduction system

Aerobic rice, a key toMalaysias food security

Great research is nothing if not sharedMinister of Agriculture, Dato Sri Ismail Sabri says:

T he Malaysian AgricultureResearch and DevelopmentInstitute or MARDI is knownamong research organisationsaround the world for its achieve-ments and the numerous awardsand recognition that it brings homefor Malaysia but great research isnothing if it is not shared.

For all the good work that isdone by MARDI, many are still notfully aware what this ne organisa-tion has to offer.

Sharing the result of successfulresearch is not just a logical nextstep. It is MARDIs Corporate SocialResponsibility. The Governmentfunds research in order to allow thepeople to reap the economic benetsof being ahead of the competition.

Perhaps MARDI is cautiousabout blowing its own trumpet andwe understand that. But in todaysfast changing world, we cannotafford to allow good new t echniquesand knowledge to sit in a cabinetgathering dust and becoming outof date before it is even commer-cialised.

I would like to see MARDI takeon the role of educating the publicabout what kinds of new researchdevelopment results can be takento market. A nationwide roadshowcertainly would not go amiss in thissituation.

When tabling the 2014 Budget,our Prime Minister Datuk SeriNajib Abdul Razak made it clearthat he wants farmers, livestockbreeders and shermen to be moreinnovative and progressive to boost

income and their standard of living.Our farmers and breeders

need to re-examine their old waysand methodologies and unshacklethemselves from conventional andstatic thinking and start thinkingabout ways to bring Malaysianagriculture into the 21 st century.

This is crucial if we want toimprove our agriculture yields andfulll everyones wish for food se-curity through self-sustenance. Aswe progress, demand for food willincrease and Malaysians becomemore afuent and together with agrowing population that recently hitthe 30 million mark, can we afford toremain in our comfort zones?

Scientists, researchers andtechnologists at MARDI must seethemselves as guardians of the na-tions future and you can only fulllthis role by injecting the spirit ofinnovation and improvement intoMalaysian agriculture.

Once farmers, livestock breed-ers and shermen know what newideas and technology they canextract from MARDI, they will keepcoming back for more as they realisehow innovation can lead to improve-ments in yields and therefore theirincome and competitiveness.

Agencies like MARDI should bemore aggressive helping this groupto produce more at a lower and more

sustainable cost through optimumapplication of resources.

Since taking over this ministrya year ago, one of our main concernsis the fact that the agriculturesector is monopolised by the oldergeneration due to the widespreadnegative perception of the industry.

Partly, this has to do with thetraditional farming methods whichare still widely practiced and thisusually means working hard underthe hot sun for relatively modesteconomic reward.

If the younger generationpersists with this perception andrefuses to take the mantle of theagriculture sector, the countrys

food security in the future is at risk.This is why the Ministry of Ag-

riculture has adopted as its mainagenda, attracting the youngergeneration to get involved in theindustry by creating Young Agro-proneur Unit to facilitate the needof the young farmers.

The Young AgropreneurCouncil which comprises success-ful agriculture entrepreneurs andseveral Non-Governmental Organ-isations has had a few meetings andis currently setting the agenda ofattracting more Malaysians to takepart in agriculture as a vocationof choice.

The MOA is serious in thismission and we have instructed allagencies to help and this includesoffering loan facilities to help newAgropreneurs to set up their patch.

Agriculture transformationmust start now and it must startwith a change of attitude and awillingness to accept new technol-ogy and working together to makeagriculture once again become themain industry for this country!

In closing I would like to con-gratulate MARDI coming out withthis newsletter which can play aninvaluable role in sharing with allstakeholders including the com-mercial sector, the various researchsuccess that is just waiting to betaken to market.

I sincerely hope Scientia canbecome a beacon for other researchagencies in sharing their workand making Malaysia a developedcountry by 2020.

Scientists, researchers andtechnologistsat MARDI must

see themselvesas guardiansof the nationsfuture

South and South-East Asiacontributes 23% of totalworld food waste, makingus the second largestcontributor to the totalafter industrialised Asia

EDITORIAL

From left Dato Dr. Syarif Haron DG MARDI , Dato Sri Ismail Sabri Min-ister of Agriculture, Dato Mohd Fadil bin Osman Chairman MARDI andDr. Sariam Othman

Advisor Dato Dr. Sharif Haron

(Director General MARDI)

MARDI Editorial Team Dr. Mohamad Ro Mohd Noor

Ramlah Md Isa

Dr. Ainu Husna MS Suhaimi

Mah eswary Vellupilai

Copywriter Shamsul Bahari Mohd Yunos

Designer Sham Hosni

Art Director Spice Communications Sdn

Bhd

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Seed management: Key to the future ofagricultureBy: Dr. Mohammad Selamat b.MadomPlant Materials, Seeds & AnimalBreeds Production Unit, MARDI

W ithout seeds there can beno agriculture and withinthe culture of modern ag-riculture, a well dened seed policycan make the difference betweenprosperity and decimation.

Seeds are one of the six pillarsfor food production especially forstaple food crops of the annual crop-ping types. Seeds a re also one of themeans of establishing a new cropeach season and they determine thegenetic potential of the crop thatis grown on a particular location.

Seeds also provide the vehicle totransfer new genotypes (varieties)from research institutions into thefarming community. Despite thisfundamental role in crop produc-tion, seeds also have some specialattributes arising from theirbiological properties, which makethem a difcult product to handle.

This is not only a result of physi-ology and genetics, which are ofgeneral application, but there arealso strong economic and policydimensions that are specic tocrops, countries and regions.

Modern agriculture relies on

a few chosen species being grown

on large scale farms almost to theexclusion of less popular crops orvariations of a crop. Obviouslythis practice is not conducive forenhancing biodiversity.

Biodiversity is accepted asone of the reasons why life hasourished on earth and persistentsuppression of biodiversity in ourfood and commercial crops mayhave yet untold consequences onthe environment and our ownexistence.

One of the key to future agri-culture success lies in promotingnew diversity and replacing theuniformity that has prevailed anddominated the industry and thisis something that can be achievedthrough a well thought out seedpolicy.

The success of a seed policywill be reected in the numberof varieties that are available tomarket. It is important for Govern-ments to encourage the entrant ofnew players in the seed industryto ensure diversity rather thanpromoting more of the same.

The reality in Asean is thatagricultural research and the seedindustry is mostly still in Govern-ment hands and most of the existingfacilities are operated by Govern-ment agencies. New entrants shouldbe treated as an equal and wherepossible, open access or lease of ex-

isting processing facilities should

be considered.State-operated agricultural

research agencies are essentiallygatekeepers to diversity and inmany cases they promote veryfew varieties in order to achievetheir Key Performance Indicators.However, a successful seed policymust have a mechanism that allowsfor more varieties to be made avail-able to the market.

There are various ways inwhich this can be done, such as byoffering licences to multiply newvarieties.

Public sector breeding can bethe stimulus for the emergence ofa new seed industry and in order tosuccessfully assume this role, theymust obtain new varieties of seedsto strengthen their portfolio.

However, an equitable policyfor accessing these varieties mustbe devised and, in the context ofplant variety protection, a royaltypayment may also be expected.

Regional cooperation betweennational research agencies shouldbe an important dimension in theAsean seed policy. For this reason,cooperation in variety testingwould be a step forward.

An effective seed policy is not just about preserv ing biodiver-sity and providing variety to themarket, it actually plays a key rolein ensuring food security for the

region, if not individual countries.

ACI-MARDI-SAAS smart fertilisercollaboration

By: Wan Azha Wan Mustafa,All Cosmos

A griculture industry is onethat is growing at an ever-steady pace throughout theworld. While Malaysian agriculturecontinues to enjoy positive demandin traditional markets, growth thisyear is expected to be gradual as itwould depend on the purchasingpower of consuming countries,their gross domestic product (GDP)growth, population increase andnew markets.

However, number of wilt disease,in the absence of any effective treat-ment, would most likely result indecreased property values. Thedisease could destroy the entireindustry and a biological practice

will be an effective method in con-trolling from further scattering.

Malaysia`s perspective insustainable development requiresbalancing these competing demandsto make the best use of our naturalresources.

ALL COSMOS INDUSTRIESSDN. BHD. (ACI) , a pioneer in bio-fertilisers, is a 100% subsidiary ofAll Cosmos Bio Tech Holding. AllCosmos is a Malaysian manufac-turer and marketer of high gradebio-organic and bio-chemical fer-tilisers. They make every effortto be the innovative driving forcein the biotechnology industry whilstaiding to improve the countrysecological status.

MALAYSIAN AGRICUL-TURAL RESEARCH & DEVEL-OPMENT INSTITUTE (MARDI)

is given the multifaceted issuesand components of the agriculturesystem, research in sustainableagriculture will incorporate R&Dprojects from multiple disciplines- from science and engineering, tosocial science and design, and fromeld to consumer acceptance as thenal usage.

SHANDONG ACADEMY OFAGRICULTURAL SCIENCES(SAAS) , is a comprehensive, non-prot research organisation of ag-ricultural sciences and technologydirectly subordinate to ShandongProvincial Government with ahistory of 110 years. Its headquar-ters is located at No. 202, GongyebeiRoad, Jinan 250100, Shandong, P.R.China.

MARDI, ACI & SAAS , setChina to be the prime in agriculture

research and development (R&D)activities in the country from thethree giants. The trio signed an ex-tension project on the R&D of ediblefungus cultivation & bacteriophage.The bacteriophage technologyuses microbe virus to infect andkill the disease causing bacteria.This can be applied as a biocide inagriculture and forestry and helpsto reduce food safety risks and losssuffered by farmers due to bacteriaoutbreaks. A number of successfultrials of phage-based bio-pesticidefrom 3 in 1 bio-fertiliser for control-ling bacterial wilt disease in fruitslike tomato, chillies & dragon fruitwere done.

The MoU was signed by chair-man of the board of di rectors of ACI,Dato Tony Peng Shih Hao, SAASwas represented by its director

and deputy head, Professor Guo,Director General of MARDI, DatoDr. Sharif Haron and witnessedby the Minister of Agriculture &Agro-based Industry Malaysia, YBDato Sri Ismail Sabri Bin Yaakoband Secretary General Ministry ofAgriculture & Agro-based Indus-try Malaysia, YBhg. Datuk Mohd.Hashim Bin Abdullah.

With its green technology at-tributes, bacteriophage is able toreplace chemical pesticides. It canbe produced at a relatively low cost,is environmental friendly, non-hazardous and has the potential toincrease agriculture exports andforest farming produce in Malaysia.

The enterprises will indirectlysupport the current efforts made

by ACI & MARDI in expanding thecountrys food safety programmesthrough several research projectsthat have been initiated, amongthem the increase in rice produc-tion, industrial competitiveness,improving competencies in thepoultry industry, and also higherproductivity and greater sustain-ability of the agriculture industry.

These initiatives will be fundedby the long term research grantscheme. The research collabora-tion also benets joint training ofstaff and researchers of China &Malaysia, knowledge exchange aswell as co-publishing of SMARTFertiliser (disease control).

The methodology of escalatingthe countrys agricultural sectorto the next level is to invest in hightechnology R&D activities to spurits development and ensure its sus-tainability. The development in theagricultural sector could help thecountry reduce its dependency onimporting food and save on foreignexchange ows.

Weedy rice problem solved:MARDI-BASF development of Imidazolinone-tolerantrice variety shows great promiseBy: Dr. Azmi Man, Azlan Shaari,Hazim Khalid, Chew See Eng Rice & Industrial Crops ResearchCentre, MARDI &Lim Fung Woie and GeorgeVarghesse (BASF)

WEEDY Rice ( Padi Angin )is a form of weed thatcan cause total loss ofrice yield when the in-

festation is very serious and becauseit is so similar to cultivated rice,there is no herbicide that is effectiveagainst this weed.

Imidazolinone is a known herbi-cide that is capable of dealing withweedy rice but it could not be useddirectly on Malaysias direct - seededelds. There was a need to integratethe herbicide with a variety of ricethat is tolerant of the chemical.

A programme was initiatedby MARDI and the chemical giantBASF (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. in 2003to create a solution to this problemand funded by BASF.

Te commercialisation wascarried out in two phases.

Phase 1 (2003 - 2007) i nvolved thetransfer of imidazolinone tolerantgene to the local high yielding variet-ies and initial line selection. Phase2 continued with line stabilisationand varietal evaluation until 2009.

This solution should also com-pliment current control practicessuch as water seeding culture, andmost important of all, to give highreturns. In order to achieve thisgoal, the objectives were dened asfollows: To conduct a series of back-

crosses to transfer the herbicidetolerant gene (PWC-16) from thedonor parent to the Malaysianelite rice varieties;

To evaluate and select elite Ma-laysian imidazolinone tolerantrice varieties for agronomicperformance, chemical andphysical properties as well asresistance to pest and diseases;

To develop a stewardship guide

for the imidazolinone tolerantvarieties.MARDI Seberang Perai became

home for the project and by the off-season of 2007, ve potential imidaz-olinone tolerant lines were selectedfor purication and evaluation foryield, agronomic performance,resistance against major pests anddiseases as well as physical andchemical properties of the grain.

Phase 2: The lines were furtherevaluated in the main season of2007/08, from which two lines,MR220CL1 and MR220CL2, wereidentied as the most suitable fortesting and further evaluation.

They were promoted in off-season 2008 for further evaluationunder large plot testing in FELCRASeberang Perak rice granary andMADA District IV, Kedah. Theintroduction of these varieties is

justied by the need to offer a newefcient and innovative alternativemethod to manage weedy rice indirect-seeded culture in Malaysia.

The combination of imid-azolinone tolerant varieties withimidazolinone herbicides by BASFknown as OnDuty TM is known as theCleareld Production System. TheCleareld system was launched on8th July 2010 at FELCRA SeberangPerak.

This new system proved effectivein controlling weedy rice infesta-tion where no other herbicides orsystem can control in direct-seedingculture.

The system consists ofClearfield certified seeds and

OnDuty TM herbicide together witha Stewardship Guide developed byMARDI and BASF. The certiedseeds are available in the standard20 kg bags that farmers usually buyand are familiar with.

The herbicide is packed in a boxwith 4 sachets of 31 g/sachet. Theseed rate is at 140 kg/ha where inthe main granary area of MADA inKedah, two bags (2 x 2 0 kg) per relongKedah (3.5 relong Kedah = 1 ha) isused which is the common seed r atepracticed by farmers.

The OnDuty TM rate is at 217 g/ha (7 sachets) whereby in Kedah twosachets (2 x 31 g) p er relong Kedah isapplied. The certied seeds and On-Duty TM is sold together as a package.

Benets of the CleareldProduction System

From the results and experiencein trials carried out at v arious loca-tions in Malaysia from 20 03 to 2010,the following substantial benetswere observed: Cleareld Production System for

rice is cost effective; whereby anadditional RM250 expenditurein weeding cost gives an addi-tional yield increase of morethan 1 t/ha;

Early and effective control ofweedy rice will prevent any earlycompetition of weedy rice whichwill cause losses and damage tothe wet sown rice crop;

Reduce contamination fromweedy rice, thereby improving

the quality of harvest and reduc-ing weedy rice dockages;

Reduce the amount of herbicidesreleased into the environment.The excellent pre-emergence

activity of OnDuty TM allows delay inooding. The delay in water supplyalso inadvertently reduces GoldenApple Snail damage in rice eldswhere the snails remain inactiveunder saturated eld condition.

Current and normal agro-nomic practices used by farmersare sufcient for the application ofCleareld Production System.

Economic Impact

Studies have shown thatCleareld plots yielded 2.5 t/ha morethan conventional plots; correspond-ingly net income was higher by morethan RM2,700/ha.

In FELCRA Seberang Perakrice granary, Cleareld ProductionSystem has given a good i mpact onrice production where this systemwas rst introduced in 2010. Duringseason 1/2010, only 50 ha of rice eldsused Cleareld Production Systemwhich gradually increased fromseason to season until about half ofthe whole area (60%) adopted thistechnology in season 1/2013.

Rice yield production graduallyincreased from season to seasonand in season 1/2013, an averagerice yield of 7.02 t/ha was achieved,the highest yield in the historyof FELCRA Seberang Perak ricegranary.

Figure 1

Figure 1. PCA scores plot of TAGs for raw and processed meat productsof pork, chicken, beef and lamb

With its greentechnologyattributes,

bacteriophageis able to

replace chemical pesticides. It can be produced at a relatively low cost,is environmentalfriendly, non-

hazardous and hasthe potential toincrease agricultureexports and forestfarming produce inMalaysia.

The existingtechnologies have alimitation on processedfood that has been

heated in the production process and also in purefat-based products.

Yang Dipertua Negeri Sarawak, His Excellency TunDatuk Patinggi Abang Haji Muhammad Salahuddinsucking Stingless Bee Honey directly from thebeehive during his visit to Langkawi.

MARDI in the lens

Malaysian innovation:Ground breaking method of identifying non-halal food productsBy: Dr. Haslina HasanTechnical Services Centre, MARDI

Identifying animal species in food is notonlycriticalforthedeterminationof Halal food but it is also important in enforcingthe Food Labelling Regulations. Mixing

undeclared animal species in food productsis illegal under Food Labelling Regulations.

Apart from regulatory reasons, the inclu-sion of less desirable animal meat in a foodproductcanhaveeconomic,health,foodsafetyand religious implications to the consumersand we are all consumers.

Several methods have been developed toidentify meat species including electrophore-sis, chromatography, DNA hybridisation andimmunoassays. Immunological techniques,including agar-gel immunodiffusion (AGID)and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), are most commonly applied for meatspecies identication.

The existing technologies have a limita-tion on processed food that has been heatedin the production process and also in purefat-based products.

This limitation is critical because mostfoods consumed in developed countries havebeensubjectedtovarying degreesofheattreat-ment at one stage or another, either throughcooking, baking, broiling, toasting, roasting,canning, concentrating, pasteurising, dryingor frying to modify its avour or texture and

to improve its storage ability.Theadulterationwithpurefatand oilwith

different/other animal species is difcult todetect using current technology.

Our invention works on the basis ofidentifying animal species in rawand ther-mally processed/cooked conditions based onmolecular levels of animal fats.

The invention involves the fractionationof triacylglycerols (TAGs) on analytical in-strumentation and the proles are analysedby chemometrics to reveal the differencesbetween animal species. The results remainreliable even when analysing processedproducts.

This is an entirely a new approach foranimal species identication as TAGs fromanimal fat have not been completely resolvedelsewhere.

Using TAGs as an analyte, which is stableat high temperature, offers clear and distinctadvantages in determining animal species inheat processed food products.

The fact that almost 96% of animal fatscontain TAGs makes it the perfect analyte fordetectinganyformofadulterationwithfatandoilfromundeclaredanimalspeciesinthefoodproducts. Fractionation of TAGs overcomesthe limitation of the existing technologies.

The fractionation process which canidentify mammalian, avian and poultry meatsources, even in processed/cooked products,is performed using a reverse phase high per-formance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC)coupled with an atmospheric pressure chemi-cal ionisation mass spectrometry (RP-HPLC/MS-APCI) and an ion trap mass spectrometer.

Toovercomethedifcultiesinattemptingto detect adulterants that have approximatelythesamechemicalcompositionastheoriginalfood product, chemometrics analysis is usedfor identifying and determining animal fatsbelonging to different animal species.

From the principal component analysis

(PCA) plot, it is concluded that the meatproducts of different species (beef, pork,chicken and lamb) cooked by microwave,roasting, hotpot and currying are separated

and grouped well according to the species( Figure 1 ).

Fractionation of TAGs conrms that thediscrimination of meat from different animalspecies is possible for both raw and cookedmeatproducts,andrevealsthatthedifferencesproduced by the various processing methodsare much less than the variations observedbetween species.

This invention has the potential of bettersupporting the global processed food marketby providing improved consumer condence

that any form of adulteration can be clearlydetected.

This is very important for the groups ofVegetarians, Muslims, Koshers, Hindus and

other consumers that are particular abouttheir diet.

This latest technology will also enhancethe capability of enforcement and regulatoryagencies and departments and assist qualitycontrol and quality assurance departmentsof food manufacturers.

In general, this technology has potentialto support the global value of the halal marketprocessed food which is about USD2 - 2.5 tril-lion annually and socially, assisting about 2billion Muslims worldwide.

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From the wild to the world

Evolution of durians from the wild to commercial cropBy: Dr. Salma IdrisStrategic Resources Research Centre,MARDI

Durian is well known in South EastAsia but even as late as the end ofthe last century, it was popularonly among the Malays who culti-

vated the fruit for their own consumption.There are 29 species which have beenidentied and they are believed to originatefrom Malaysia but is now widely distrib-uted throughout Asia from Sri Lanka toMyanmar, Thailand, Borneo, Indonesia, thePhilippines and Madagascar. In Malaysia,24 species have been identied and Durio

zibethinus is the main cultivated species.The durian owering season varies

from state to state but it peaks in July andAugust. Perak enjoys two peak seasons andPahang appears to be capable of continuousproduction except in April, May and June .

Durian fruits fall once ripened anddepending on the varieties, this occurs 117to 145 days after ower initiation.

Commercially there are 5 varieties thatmake up most of the market and they are allclones or hybrids. These include D2, D24,D99, D145 and MDUR78, 79 and 88 hybrids.Recently, D197 or Mousang King has becomea favourite in the market and fetches someof the best prices.

Traditionally, there are a few wellknown varieties e.g. D2 or Dato Nina whichoriginated from Melaka and the trees tendto be medium large and erect in form. Itowers regularly but does not provide highyield. Among the advantages of this clone isits tolerance to Phytophthora stem canker.

The fruits are medium to large ranging

from 1.3 - 1.8 kg in weight. Although theesh is thick and the seeds are small, D2durians are hard to split open. The fruit isgood, however, it is not widely grown.

D24 originates from Bukit Merah inPerak and gives a high yield between 100and 150 fruits/ tree/ season. It is one of theleading commercial clones in Malaysia.It owers regulary and is popular amongthe growers.

Its maximum productivity is between10 and 15 years. The fruits range from

1.0 - 1.8 kg with thick, light yellow, rm,creamy and smooth esh. The fruit avouris described as sweet and nutty with a slightbitter aftertaste.

Care must be taken by the grower toprevent and control stem canker which cancause uneven ripening where parts of theesh remains hard ( mangkar ). Drought canalso contribute to uneven ripening.

D99 is another popular clone originat-ing from Thailand. It is widely planted dueto consistency in fruiting with off season

fruiting habits and early season harvest.The D99 is also a good polleniser for D24.

This is a particularly har dy clone whichis tolerant to stem canker and drought whilestill producing good fruits. The fruits aresmall ranging from 1.0 - 1.5 kg. Despite thesize, this is still a favourite among fans dueto the thicker bright orangey-yellow esh.Fruit avour is classied as mild and hasa ne texture.

Durian Hijau or D145 originated fromBeserah, Pahang. The tree is medium-large

Durian season in various states of MalaysiaState Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Johor

Kedah

Kelantan

MelakaNg. Sembilan

Pahang

Perak

Perlis

Pulau Pinang

Sabah

Sarawak

Selangor

Terengganu

Source: FAMA (2005)

and susceptible to dry conditions as well asstem canker. Although there is consistencyin fruiting, it is heavy bearing when inseason and the fruits are easy to split.

The aril is of medium thickness, brightyellow, ne textured and tastes sweet andnutty with good aroma.

In the early 1990s MARDI sought toimprove the D24 and came up wit h the MDUR78, MDUR 79 and MDUR88 hybrids whichoffer fruit quality that is comparable to D24but offers tolerance to stem canker, a majorproblem with the original clone.

These hybrid varieties also offer longerstorage life, lasting between 70 and 80 hoursafter fruit drop before they begin splitting.

Interestingly, two wild species continueto enjoy market popularity. Durian Kuningor Durian Otak Udang Galah is scienti-cally identied as Durio graveolens. The arilcan come in a wide range of colours fromcrimson red to white and is sweet with acheesy texture. Some describe the taste likeroasted almonds.

Durian Sukang or Durio oxleyanus growson huge trees that fruit later than D. zibethi-nus and D graveolens. Unlike other specieswhich have ve locules, this species only hasfour and the aril is corn yellow, smooth andsweet with strong fragrance. The season isusually in September in Brunei.

MARDI continues to improve on theavailable clones through hybridisation andclonal selection with a second F 1 hybridpopulation being introduced with a widerset of parents. This time six local and fourThai clones were used in the hybridisation.The local clones were D24, D10, D38, D52,MDUR88 and KK11 while the Thai parentswere D98, D99, D113 and Cemposi.

The 10 selected parents have wide geneticrange due to their diverse origins and theywere selected for high consistent yields, goodfruit quality and special characters such asunique taste.

Based on initial fruit quality assess-ments, 13 of these hybrids showed commer-cial potential and were put in replicatedtrials in Bukit Tangga in October 2000,Kuala Kangsar in July 2002 and Jelebu inNovember 2003.

Assessment continues on these hybrids.The future of the durian industry, especiallyin the export market, relies on packagingtechnology and this is now more than ad-equate and the previous decline in interestfor the fruit seems to have made a reversal.

Further research into the potential ofdurians, especially in the development ofprocessed products and enhanced globalmarketing will help it to conquer newmarkets.

Malaysian durian species

Source: FAMA (2013)

Durio griffithii Durio carinatus

Durio testudinarum Durio graveolens

Durio pinangianus Durio singaporensis var.

jerangauensis

Durio oxleyanus Durio kutejensis

Durio carinatus Durio dulcis

Durio lowianus Durio oblongus

MDUR 88MDUR 79MDUR 78

MARDI clonesduriansIn the early 1990sMARDI sought toimprove the D24and came up withthe MDUR 78, MDUR79 and MDUR88

hybrids which offerfruit quality that iscomparable to D24

but offers tolerance to stem canker, a major problem with theoriginal clone.

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By: Dr. Suri RoowiFood Technology ResearchCentre, MARDI

Background

T he health benefits of citrushave been known for centu-ries. In 1747, James Lind, anaval surgeon noted that crewmenwith scurvy made a full recoveryafter eating oranges and lemons.Several studies showed that citrusfruits appeared to be associatedwith lower risk of colorectal,esophageal and stomach canceras well as stroke. Citrus fruits arealso associated with improvedblood lipid profile and survivalof the elderly. Health benefitsof citrus are attributed to therichness of polyphenols that areable to counteract oxidative stressand hence reduces risk for certain

chronic diseases.Calamansi or limau kasturi

or Citrus microcarpa is a smallcitrus fruit with loose skin and asweet musky smell. Although thiscitrus fruit is regularly used withblack tea and ice, to date not manystudies have been done on the de-velopment of health dri nks fromcalamansi. Phloretin-G is one ofthe beneficial compounds in cala-mansi and has high T rolox Equi-valent Antioxidant Ratio (TEAR)value at 3.4, which is higher thanepigallocatechin-gallate, a potentantioxidant compound in greentea. Phloretin-G is also stableat high temperature and highpressure. KASTURI DRINK is anewly developed high phloretin-Gdrink developed from calamansiby products.

Description of technology

The identification of phlore-

tin-G in calamansi was develo-ped using High Profile LiquidChromatography-Mass Spectro-metry technology (HPLC-MS). Theantioxidant activity of phloretin-Gwas accessed using HPLC withon-line antioxidant assay. Thistechnique requires a radicalscavenging compound called2,2 -azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothia-zoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS).The newly developed KASTURIDRINK is made by fermentingselected parts of calamansi thatcontain high amounts of phlore-tin-G with edible microorganisms.

KASTURI DRINK still hashigh level of phloretin-G evenafter 18 months of storage. Itsquality was tested scientificallyand underwent sensory evalua-tion by selected panellists with anoverall acceptability of 9.0. Apartfrom that, KASTURI DRINK alsocontains vitexin-2-O-rhamnoside

which has been used as an anti-hypertensive agent in the U.S.A.Vitexin and its glycosylated formsexist in Cratageus oxycantha (hawthorn berry) and is a lso soldcommercially as anti-ischaemicand cardiotonic agent. In addi-tion, KASTURI DRINK containsfibre from selected sources whichenhances its benefit.

Novelty of innovativ eness

Newly discovered phloretin-Gin calamansi is a natural antioxi-dant that can be used to develophigh value antioxidant productssuch as KASTURI DRINK . It isa cheaper substitute for severaltypes of powerful antioxidantswhich are being marketed in theworld such as green tea which is apowerful antioxidant in the worldmarket, and is known for theirpotent antioxidant properties. Itis also a substitute for mango-

steen which is rich in xanthone,which is a fat soluble antioxidantcompound, but high intake of fatsoluble antioxidant compoundsmay have negative effects. Withthe newly developed enzymetechnology, phloretin-G contentin the developed product can beincreased. The product developedwill be at par or even better thanany of the established antioxidantproducts in the market. Thisproduct will also benefit generalpublic to maintain good health andhelp functional food industries todevelop high quality drinks.

Economic impact

The functional food industry,consisting of food, beverage andsupplement sectors, is one ofseveral areas of food industry inMalaysia that are experiencingfast growth over the recent years.The newly developed product- KASTURI DRINK may be ableto substitute similar importedfunctional foods in Malaysiaand hence will reduce importof functional foods. KASTURIDRINK can also serve as a goodalternative downstream productfor the local citrus industry.

Potential usersConsumers interest in func-

tional foods has increased sincethe late twentieth century aspeoples awareness in achievingand maintaining good healthimproved. The newly developedKASTURI DRINK may satisfythe demand of health consciousconsumers.

Young Agropreneur Programme toattract new generation of farmers

High antioxidant drink from Citrus microcarpa (Limau kasturi) by-product

INVENTOR : Bahari Masaruddin, Zainal AbidinIdris, Mohd Rai Yusop and Ghizan SalehR&D TEAM : Norzila Ghazalli, Muhamad Khalidand Othman IsmailHorticulture Research Centre, MARDI

New watermelon hybrid variety:

SUPERHORT-REDS UPERHORT-RED is the rst local watermelon hybridvariety developed by crossing inbred lines NDGS-21withGS-10. It has early maturity and can be harvestedabout 30 days after owering or 70 days af ter transplant-ing.

The fruit is elongate, light green and has dark greenstripes on its surface and the esh colour is dark red.The central soluble solid content is 12%, and with crispand more juice.

The average fruit weight is 2.8 kg and mean yield is30 t/ha. The fruit has good quality and highly suitablefor storage and transportation. This variety has moderatetolerance to fusarium wilt disease.

BEFORE THIS HYBRID:

Farmers rely on importation of watermelon hybridseed

Increase in seeds cost every year Most of the hybrids not well adapted in all environments Low yield and susceptible to major diseases

The rst Malaysian watermelon hybrid

Musseling into aquaculture

By: Mazuki Hashim Department of Fisheries, Putrajaya.

M ussels have the potential to rival cockles asthe main contributor to the countrys bivalveproduction if hurdles of production technol-ogy and marketing can be overcome.

The Fisheries Department is carrying out researchinto environmentally intensive production and har-vesting system as well as renement of the culturetechniques to ensure production of more consistent sizerange to allow for improved downstream processingand marketability of mussels.

Adoption of Best Practice, Standards and Guide-lines for mussel farming recently established in Europeand new technology for grading, handling, transporta-tion, conditioning and storage of mussles will play keyroles in achieving our production targets.

A major barrier to market expansion is consumerexperience of gastro-enteritis after consuming shell-sh, therefore adequate measures to address the issueof contamination must also be put in place.

The government, through legislation, must enforcethe shellsh industry to adopt sanitation practicessuch as depuration and improve the quality of culturedshellsh.

Mussel culture is still considered a new ventureand still faces resistance to investment because valueadded activity on musseling is still limited to a fewproducts and the industry does not see the exportpotential of mussels.

Finally, mussel farming does not have an envi-ronmentally friendly image, the rafts and long linesare not picturesque and not suitable to agro-tourismconcepts promoted by the country.

To overcome the issue of presentability and

demands of agro-tourism, the Department of Fisher-ies carried out a pilot project in early 2011 located inTelok Jawa, Johor Bahru on a newly identied musselsfarming technology from Norway, the SmartFarm.

The pilot project consisted of six on-growing unitsof HDPE pipelines with attached netting materials andit managed to provide the aesthetic solution, as thepipelines were less visible when compared to usingtraditional buoys or rafts.

With an expected yield of 25 tonnes per 126 meterlong line three to four times higher than existingtraditional culture systems, it has prompted a privatecompany, Hannan Seafa rmer Sdn. Bhd. to invest in acommercial scale mussel farm in an area of 10 hectaresin the Straits of Johor.

By February 2013, the company successfully in-stalled 51 units of Smart Farm-Units at the site andestablished a basic processing facility adjacent to thefarm with the capability for processing about 11,000tonnes of fresh mussels annually.

With export demand especially from Singaporegrowing steadily, the company has decided toacquire a specialised work-boat integrated witha harvesting machine, further perfectingthe Norwegian mussel rearing technology.

With the above developments, the aimof the government to build up large scalemussel farming has been met.

SUPERHORT-REDwatermellon

Mussel culture is stillconsidered a new ventureand still faces resistanceto investment becausevalue added activity on

musseling is still limitedto a few products andthe industry does not seethe export potential of

mussels.

(Image via: MOA - foto bank)

By: Mohd Arif bin Adenan Young Agropreneur Unit &National Blue Ocean Strategy(NBOS)

T he National AgroFoodPolicy, which aimsto make Malaysiaachieve Self SustenanceLevel of food production re-quires the drive and spiritof innovation that youth canoffer, but right now their par-ticipation in agriculture isworryingly low at 14 per cent.

The Young AgropreneurProgramme is designed toattract young farmers byoffering them competitive

career paths and positiveincome streams throughspecial packages drawn upunder the programme.

All Malaysians agedbetween 18 and 40 can applyto take part in this inno-vative programme whichrequires neither guarantornor collateral.

The programme is notl imited to individuals.

Companies owned by youths,co-operatives and associa-tions which are i nvolved inagriculture are encouragedto apply.

Application forms areavailable on the Ministryof Agriculture website, aspecial facebook page UnitAgropreneur Muda, all ag-riculture department officesand all 12 agencies under theministry.

The forms can be sub-mitted to any district agri-culture office or directly toUnit Agropreneur Muda inPutrajaya for evaluation.

Offers for courses oradvanced mentoring pro-

grammes will be made tointerested participants afterthe evaluation process.

The Young Agropreneurprogramme comprises fivecomponents; free trainingand mentoring, friendly fi-nancing, technical advice,focusing on high-valueagriculture and applicationof modern technology. Theprogramme covers 20 main

agriculture sectors.The most popular activi-

ties, are chilli and rockmelonfertigation, lead the way with298 young farmers register-ing interest in them.

Next up is stingless beecultivation with 135 regis-tered farmers and a closesecond is Honey Bee cultiva-tion with 130 participants fol-lowed by livestock farmingwhich has attracted 107 newfarmers.

Aquaculture in the formof fish cultivation has at-tracted 44 registrations.

So far, 876 youths haveregistered and they areundergoing various phases

of the programme from at-tending courses to workingon their own agricultureprojects.

These farmers willundergo periodic trainingorganised by Unit Agropre-neur Muda under the Minis-try of Agriculture to improvetheir chances for success.

The Ministry is collabo-rating under the National

Blue Ocean Strategy to findand activate these lands forpossible group farming.

Interested young farmerscan also contact any districtland office for help in iden-tifying ideal land in theirvicinity.

So far six projects underthe fishery sub-sector isup and running as con-tract farms under a leadcompany. In Pasir Salak 10participants are taking partin Patin and Tilapia farmingin Sungai Perak.

A large scale honeybee project is underway inPekan, Pahang while sting-less bee honey production

is on the way in KampungPerik, Kuala Nerang.Bera in Pahang is home

to cattle production with27 participants. This townhas been named as the live-stock hub for the East CoastEconomic Region (ECER)while Johor is playing hostto pineapple growing foryoung farmers on idle stategovernment land.

ACHIEVEMENTS8

BUSINESS9

Dr. Suri and his research team KASTURI DRINK made from calamansi by-product (Citrus microcarpa)

ACHIEVEMENTS1. Gold Medal (International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition (ITEX-2013)2. Malaysian Innovative Product Award (International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition

ITEX 2013)3. Best Invention (ITEX 2013) for Research Institutes and Organisation (2013)4. Gold Medal (Malaysian International Technology Expo - 2013)5. Gold Medal (MARDI Science and Technology Exhibition MSTE 2012)6. Innovative Product Award (MARDI Science and Technology Exhibition- MSTE 2012)7. Intellectual Property Rights (Technology to produce High Phloretin-G drink -4 Feb. 2013, with the

IP no. TS 2013/02/0007)8. MARDI BEST Article published (2011)- J. Agric. Food Chem. 59(22):12217-122259. Gold Medal (BioInnovation -BioINNO-Awards)- 201310. Gold Medal (International Trade Fair Ideas-Inventions-New Products (IENA-Germany) 2013

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Organic agriculture inMalaysiaBy: Dr. A. Sivapragasam andDr. Mohamed RoffCABI-SEA and MARDI

T HE pivotal agenda for theMalaysian organic agricul-ture (OA) sector will be tomaintain the momentum and movefrom the fringes into the mainstreamagriculture with stronger entrenchedGovernment policy that invariablygoes beyond the rhetoric.

Malaysias OA sector began inthe 80s but despite strong initialinterests shown by various privateand public-sector organizations, theoverall growth scenario has been onewhich is relatively slow compared tothe other countries in the Region.

Based on the gures quoted bythe Department of Agriculture (DoA2010), the acreage under organic agri-culture has shown increasing trendsfrom 600 ha in 2005 to about 1,540 hain 2009. This makes up of about 0.01% of arable land (in 2009).

The farms are small, market isrobust but supply is highly unreliable

or cautious. The products are mostlyvegetables and fruits grown in a smallacreage.

There has been pioneering initia-tivesinrice,oil palm,shand poultry,however, a signicant amount oforganicproductsthataresoldinretailshops to hypermarkets continue to beimported.

Like other products, consumerdemand determines the growth oforganic farming. Currently, there isgenerally low awareness of organicproducts especially with regards totheir authenticity and thus the reluc-tance to pay premium prices.

Meanwhile, at the growers level,manydonothaveadequateknowledgeon OA; pricing and marketing; pestsand disease management, difcultyin keeping records and to meet fullcriteria for SOM standard.

The high cost for certicationby foreign certication bodies is adeterrent. Finally, at the retailerslevel, many face inconsistent sup-plies and are not sure of the productauthenticity.

On the global scene, organicfarming now takes up more than

31 million ha (Zehnder et al. 2007, Annual Review of Entomology ) .

The trend is led by the countriesin the Oceania Region (11.8 millionha) followed by Europe (6.9 millionha), Latin America (5.8 million ha),North America (2.2 million ha) andAsia (2.9 million ha).

However, this still represents lessthan 1% of the total ag ricultural areaof these countries.

Zehnder et al. (2007) also re-ported that the worldwide marketfor organic products is estimated atUSD28 billion (2004 statistics), withthe highest growth occurring in theUnited States, where organic salesgrewbyUSD1.5 billionin2005 toreachUSD12.2 billion.

A steady market growth has b eenrecorded for organically grown foodin the past decade in the USA (from17-20%) and Europe (>25%) as com-pared to 2-3% for conventional food(Rozhan 2009).

Health concerns have been themajordrivingforcebehindtheorganicsector followed by environmental andsocial concerns, energy efciency andto some extent, spirituality.

Contract Farming:Matching production with marketdemand

By: Ahadiah Mohd Khairi Federal Agricultural & MarketingAuthority (FAMA)

M atching agricultural pro-duction to market demandis not only a good way ofreducing wastage but is also a wayof improving farming returns,especially for small and mediumscale operations.

The Federal AgricultureMarketing Authoritys ContractFarming Programme is a HighImpact Project introduced to assistsmall and medium scale agricul-tural entrepreneurs by providingguaranteed market for their agri-cultural produce and ensuring theremunerative returns.

This programme was also in-tended for matching production ofagricultural produce with marketdemand to increase the i ncome ofproducers.

It also expands production offruits and vegetables, ensures thatagricultural produce is of highquality, meets market needs andimprove technology transfer alongthe supply chain.

Under the programme, farmersenjoy market guarantee for cropswhich conform to the type, variety,quality, grade, packaging and pro-duction schedule as specified and

mutually agreed upon.The implementation of this

programme takes into accountall related aspects along theagri-produce supply chain suchas support services, post harvestfacilities which includes collectingcentres and grading centres.

In 2012, the Contract FarmingProgramme targeted to develop7,000 hectares of crop area involv-ing 4,500 participants.

Until the end of December 2012,contract farming has been success-ful in developing a total crop areaof 7,128 hectares (101.8 percent)involving 4,219 participants (93.8percent).

MAHA 20 12

At the MAHA Exhibition 2012,FAMA through Contract Farming,implemented a programme tosupport Apollo Melon and RockMelon marketing direct from thefarm.

This was in l ine with thetagline used in MAHA MelonsDirect from Farm to MAHA.

The main areas of ApolloMelon cultivation were in theRoyal Project Kampung Banggol,Kampung Teliar, Batang MerbauPermanent Food ProductionPark (Taman Kekal PenghasilanMakanan TKPM) and KampungJeram Tuli, Pasir Putih. Mean-

while in Perak, Apollo Melonswere planted in Bagan Datoh andSimpang Pulai.

Programme o IncreaseSupplies from ContractFarming to the Farmers Market (KUKUH )

In 2012, FAMA implementedthe KUKUH programme. Thiswas in line with the fifth focus ofthe 2012 National Budget 2012- tocushion inflationary pressuresand enlighten the lives of thepeople.

This was achieved by in-creasing the Contract FarmingProgramme to ensure sufficientfood supply and the produce solddirectly to the farmers markets.The main objectives in the imple-mentation of this programme wereto:

1. Increase the supply of veg-e t a b l e s a n d f r u i t s i nFarmers Market throughthe concept of selling directthe produce from contractfarming to Farmers Market;

2. Cushion the inflationarypressure by offering reason-able prices lower thanmarket prices; and

3. Offer better prices to pro-ducers than that offered bywholesalers.

Dukung anak proven withpotential anti-cancer propertiesFormulation as a multi-targeted natural therapeutic productBy: Dr. Indu Bala JaganathBiotechnology Research Centre,MARDI

The rich cocktail of phytonu-trients from Dukung anakhas been found to exhibitanti-cancer properties

through its effects on the apoptosispathway in melanoma and prostatecancer cells.

The formulation also producedhigh anti-viral activity; up to 94%inhibition against dengue virus bydown-regulating the synthesis of animportant structural protein neededduring viral replication.

This formulation was also ableto reduce blood serum cholesterolcomparable to conventional treat-ment with statins. Statins may causehepatic damage in mice models.Dukung anak (Phyllanthus sp.) isa weed which can be seen g rowingin wastelands, along roadsides anddrains. However, in Malay, Chineseand Indian folklore, this herb istreasured for its many healingproperties.

It has been nicknamed as thestonebreaker due to its anti-diureticability. It has also been employed totreat hepatitis, bacterial infections,diabetes and hypertension.

Although there has been ex-tensive scientic evidence on thedifferent efcacies of this herb, themain drawback is that, just like otherherbs, the scientic studies carriedout on the herb is very fragmentedand sometimes inconclusive.

One of the main reasons behind

this is that the production of health

beneting compounds from Dukunganak is very susceptible to thevarying climatic changes, affectingthe standardization of the herbs.There are four different species ofDukung anak in Malaysia and ina many cases these species havebeen misidentied, resulting in anumber of discrepancies and irre-producibility of scientic reports interms of its chemical constituentsand bioactivity.

To bring Dukung anak to theforefront of the herbal industry, it isimportant that this crop is backedup with comprehensive scienticbackings where the potency and theefcacy of this plant are thoroughlyvalidated.

Through a government (MOSTI)grant amounting to RM 1.5 million,a multi-disciplinary mega projectentitled Physiological manipula-tions to stabilize and/or increasebioactive compounds in Phyllanthussp. for its anti-viral and other healthrelated properties is being done atthe Biotechnology Research Centre,MARDI. To limit the discrepanciesin the efcacy of dukung anak, therst step employed was to botanicallycharacterise the species of Dukunganak in Malaysia. Four species ofDukung anak , i.e Phyllanthus wat-sonii, P. niruri, P. amarus and P.

urinaria have been identied .These

species were grown in a standardisedmannerutilisingaconsistentamountof irrigation and fertilizer and in asemi-controlled environment to limitthe effects of environmental factorson the production of phytonutrients.

Further developmentfor dengue and cholesterolreduction

Through its validated multitar-geted intervention, the bioactivesfrom Dukung anak formulation hasthe potential for incorporation intofunctional foods or for the develop-ment of therapeutic remedies.

Manypharmaceuticalcompaniesworldwide produce new anti-viraland anti-cancer formulations ex-tracted from herbs due to its potentialfor effective treatment as it targetsmany cellular and molecular diseasepathways making it a more effectivetherapeutic agent.

This formulation can be espe-cially important in Malaysia asthe number of dengue infection hasincreased drastically in the last fewdecades, where in 2010, our countryhas been reported to have more than40,000 cases of dengue with morethan 50 deaths.

Therefore, effective antiviraldrugs to dengue infection is reallyin great demand.

This formulation was also found

to be safe and effective in reducing

blood cholesterol comparable to thecommercially used drug, statin.Statins currently constitute a majorrevenue in the pharmaceuticalindustry, exceeding US$25 billionin 2009 (Statins: The World Market2010-2025).

Due to the side effects of statins(associated with muscle and livertoxicity), there is a huge demandon the search of safe natural plantalternatives for the reduction of blood

cholesterol towards better cardiovas-

cular health and one such product isthe Phyllanthus formulation derivedfrom this innovation.

Other than the development ofa phytonutrient rich cocktail, somenovel technologies were also gener-ated through this innovation. Atotal of four patents were led from2011-2012. Currently this technol-ogy/ innovation is in the process ofbeing licensed out to a local BionexusHerbal Company, Furley Bioextracts

Sdn. Bhd.

Phyllanthus watsonii P. urinaria P. niruri P. amarus

Dukung anak products generated & collaborationwith Furley Bioextract Sdn. Bhd.

By: Department of AgricultureMalaysiawww.doa.gov.my

A Traceability System hasbeen developed as aninitiative of the Malay-sian Agriculture Departmentto encourage market condencein the quality and safety of foodand agricultural products thatwe export.

This system forms an impor-tant component of the NationalAgroFood Policy which demandstraceability to original source ofall food and agricultural prod-ucts.

The system is now acceptedby China and all consignmentsof frozen durian that is processedby processing centres accreditedby the Agriculture QuarantineService Inspection of China (AQSIQ) can be traced to source,raising market condence in ourquality assurance.

The application of a traceabil-ity system does not only ensurequality but also enhances theintegrity of handling and process-ing of frozen durian which is fastgaining popularity in China.

A process ow for traceabilityof frozen durian was developed.The process involves four stagesof traceability, starting fromthe farm or processing/ storagefacility before proceeding to the

domestic logistic process. Thethird stage scrutinises the actualexport process of transferring theproduct from a Malaysian port tothe receiving port in China andnally the tracebility systemlooks at activities that take placein the importing country.

This traceability system willhelp fulll the Agriculture andAgro-Based Industries Minister,Dato Sri Ismail Sabri Yaacob whowish to see an increase in exportsof fruits, especially durians andpapayas to China.

Negotiations are being heldwith the relevant authorities inChina so that more fresh Malay-sian fresh fruits can be broughtinto the country.

Speaking to reporters afteropening the Penang state levelRoad to MAHA programme onFebruary 15, the minister said;Currently, we only export frozenfruits there due to the strictregulations to export fruits intoChina.

Despite the increase indemand for Malaysian duriansand papayas in China, the supplyfor fresh fruits are not sufcient.

Ismail said that the interestfrom China is very real and theyhad sent representatives to doresearch here and inspect ourfruit orchards, to see whetherthe farmers adhere to their stan-dards.

Apart from governmentnegotiations and promotionalefforts in China, orchard ownersmust also improve their orchardmanagement and adopt technolo-gies and good agricultural prac-tices to increase the productionof durians.

According to trade gures,Malaysia has exported RM1.4billion in local fruits, with 30 percent of the amount ending up inChina.

Could City farming be the wayof the future?

T oday, 72 per cent of Malaysians live intownships or urban areas and every year2.4 per cent of the country grows intoconcrete jungles.

If the current projections hold true, urbanpoverty will be a major problem and statisti-cians predict that by the year 2020 between 40and 45 per cent of our urban dwellers will livein economic hardship.

The rising cost of food is expected to use upbetween 50 and 70 per cent of their income andthis expenditure can be reduced by practicingurban horticulture. If their urban plot is welltended, it can even bring extra income.

Urban horticulture can ensure food securityand give them affordable supply of healthy foodfor the low income group.

MARDI is keen to make urban horticulturea way of life in Malaysia and is organising theNational Urban Horticulture Conference 2014from April 15 to 17.

Although urban horticulture is new toMalaysia, it has been widely practiced inlarge cities like London, Hamburg and evenour neighbour, Singapore where land is scarce.

To develop urban horticulture in our cities,besides conducting research, we need to init iate

joint efforts and cooperation among agencies

and private sectors involved in horticultureand landscape, city and community develop-ment authorities, housing developers and policymakers.

Urban landscape is also equally importantas it ensures a balanced ecosystem, improveenvironment and health. Both urban landscapeand urban horticulture should be developedconcurrently to ensure sustainability of cities.This conference is aimed at addressing issuesand challenges and come out with well-plannedstrategies in initiating and developing urbanhorticulture in Malaysian townships and cities.

Several areas of discussion have been identi-

ed and one of the key areas is the latest inurban horticulture trends and technology aswell as on-going research and development.

The conference is also set to identify issues,challenges and approaches in developing urbanhorticulture in Malaysian cities.

Cooperation and understanding betweengovernment agencies, private sector, com-munity and individuals interested in urbanhorticulture and landscape is key in ensuringsuccess, therefore the conference will providea networking session for all parties.

The conference will be held at the BerjayaWaterfront Hotel in Johor Bahru.

Future concept of vertical Dragony Urban Farm(images via: Vincent Callebaut)

TraceabilitySystemdeveloped fordurian exportto China

Under this programme,farmers enjoy

market guaranteefor crops whichconform to thetype, variety,quality, grade,

packaging and production

To bring Dukung anak to theforefront of the herbal industry,it is important that this crop is

backed up with comprehensive scientic backings where the potency and the efficacy of this plant are thoroughly validated.

The application of atraceability system does

not only ensure quality but also enhances theintegrity of handling and

processing of frozendurian which is fast

gaining popularity inChina.

FOOD SECURITY10

COMMERCIALISATION11March 2014March 2014

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Even when we haveachieved economic prog-ress and modernisationtoday, Deputy Prime

Minister, Tan Sri MuhyiddinYassin says the future of globaland regional agriculture and foodscenario is still uncertain.

He expresses that concerns asto whether we can produce andsustain enough food for everybodyremains.

This is particularly worryinggiven that the United Nationspredicts the worlds population tobreach the 9.5 billion ma rk by theyear 2050. In Asean, total popula-tion would increase by more than30 percent to reach 786 million bythe same year.

Muhyiddin was speaking to the

35th Meeting of Asean Ministerson Agriculture and Forestry (35thAMAF) and the 13th Meeting ofAsean Plus Three Ministers onAgriculture and Forestry (13thAMAF Plus Three) and The 3rdAsean-India Ministerial Meetingon Agriculture and Forestry (3rdAIMMAF).

ASEAN would certainly needto continuously work towards gen-erating more food. Hence, our foodsecurity framework has to be basedon increased productivity and ef-ciency, in order to produce ourown food supply at a sustainablelevel, taking into account globalmarket openings and liberalisa-tion, as well as increased exportsof food from the Asean region.

In ASEAN, as our income

and standards of living continueto rise, the challenge is not onlyto produce sufcient food but tobe able to produce the so-calledricher foods, such as meat andmilk to satisfy ASEAN regionaldemand.

Therefore, we, in ASEAN,need to work closely together todrive earnestly the importantinitiatives set out by our Leadersas reflected in the Statementon Food Security in the ASEANRegion. Muhyiddin addsrapid globalisation is also affectingagriculture production, causingagriculture land and land banksto be turned into commercial de-velopments resulting in reducednumber of planting acreage, anddisplacement of workers in the

agriculture sector.Such trends, if not moni-

tored and supervised with greatcare, will bring grave repercus-sions to many member nations,hence ASEAN as a region.He says in the pursuit of globalcompetitiveness we must notleave behind the millions of smallfarmers and traders whose liveli-hoods depend on agriculture.

Food security must alsobe achieved while improvingsustainable forest management.ASEAN Member states must re-inforce strategies and activitiesthat promote Sustainable ForestManagement (SFM).

The adoptions of the ASEANCriteria and Indicators for Sus-tainable Management of TropicalForests is a signicant achieve-ment in this direction.

We should strive withevery effort to put in placebest practices and meaningfulmechanisms to enable effectivegovernment supervisions, andmitigate abuses of forest han-dling by commercial enterprises.Muhyiddin also invited AseanMinisters to consider initiatinga common fund dedicated to thedevelopment of innovation andR&D activities.

Perhaps with a common and agreater pool of investment, better

and wider options of R&D outputsand efcient costing would fa-cilitate ASEAN members to chooseand apply suitable technologies andmethods for their respective coun-tries, and hence leading to higherproductivity and competitiveness.

With stronger and moreunied networks of partnerships,the full potential of a prosper-ous ASEAN community can berealised with greater impact, heconcluded.

At the end of the meeting,

Asean Agriculture Ministers,under the chairmanship of Malay-sias Agriculture Minister, DatoSri Ismail Sabri Yaakob agreed tofocus their efforts and resources onthe achievement of the identiedkey deliverables and prioritisedmeasures in order to ensure the re-alisation of the ASEAN EconomicCommunity (AEC) deliverables inthe Food, Agriculture and Forestrysectors by 2015.

The on-going progress made inthe implementation of the ASEANIntegrated Food Security (AIFS)Framework and the Strategic Planof Action on ASEAN Food Security(SPA-FS) 2009 -2013 is also notable.

To move forward, we agreed todevelop a second phase of SPA-FSto accommodate some changestowards the common goal of long-term food security and reect theimportant contribution of theFood, Agriculture and Forestrysectors in the realisation of theASEAN Community.

The ministers were encouragedby the signicant progress made inenhancing the competitiveness ofagricultural commodities throughthe development and implemen-tation of ASEAN best practices,namely Good Agricultural Practic-es (GAP), Good Aquaculture Prac-tices (GAqP), and Good AnimalHusbandry Practices (GAHP).We supported the initiative toestablish an ASEAN certicationand accreditation mechanism tosupport the implementation ofthese best practices.

Agriculture should not be marginalised fordeveloped status Tan Sri Ali Hamsa

T he agricultural sector isone of the key sectors offocus for the country, andto be among the main agendaof the country in world trade.

In our efforts to achieve devel-oped nation status by 2020, theagriculture sector should not bemarginalised .

As guarantor of the coun-trys food security, the sectorcontinues to be strengthened as

a competitive business entity.Nevertheless, the agriculturesector needs transformation inorder to confront future chal-lenges and competition.

Efforts to transform thesector is a huge challenge, asit not only involves a change inthe style of activities, but alsorequires a shift in the mindsetof society as a whole.

The stigma that agricultureis an activity of low return hasbeen set in the minds of thepublic.

We have to get rid of thisstigma and this should be donethrough MARDI and relatedagencies. Traditional farmingapproach should be changed by

using the latest technology ap-plications and innovations thatare relevant and practical .

MARDIs role in generatingtechnologies and innovations isvery large and especially signifi-cant as a driver of the countr ys

agricultural transformation.MARDI has many technolo-

gies and innovations that cancontribute to t he developmentof the agricultu re sector.

However, there are stillareas to be explored and roomfor improvement as the conceptof innovation itself is constantlychanging to suit the times.MARDI must continue to adaptand evolve to ensure continueddevelopment of the agriculturalsector.

With proper planning, pro-grammes and initiatives, theinnovations can be success-fully implemented and can bringgreat impact on the communityand the nation.

Efforts totransform the

sector is a hugechallenge, as it

not only involvesa change in the

style of activities, but also requirea shift in mindsetof society as awhole

Tan Sri Dr. Ali Hamsa accompanied by MOA Secretary General, DatukSeri Mohd Hashim Abdullah and DG MARDI, Dato Dr. Sharif Haron,launched new hybrid of orchid named after him. Renanthera Tan Sri

Ali Hamsa.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin accompanied by MOA Minister, Dato Sri Ismail Sabri and his deputy, DatukTajuddin Abdul Rahm an visited AMAF exhibition.

EVENTS12

Muhyiddin: Food securityremains a big challengeAsean population to hit 786 million by 2050, higherfood productivity crucial

March 2014

In ASEAN, asour income and

standards of livingcontinue to rise,the challengeis not only to

produce sufficientfood but to beable to producethe so-calledricher foods,

such as meat and milk to satisfy ASEAN regionaldemand.