Land allocated to locals for commercial farming

Land allocated to locals for commercial farming


Commercial agriculture: A file photo of a farmer tending to his crops. The Agriculture Department in its efforts to increase agricultural products which can be commercialised, has implemented a programme known as Agricultural Development Area where farmers can utilise the land provided for commercial farming. Picture: BT file
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

THE Agriculture Department have introduced another initiative to develop the Agriculture Industry by providing farming sites to local farmers known as the Agricultural Development Area (KKP) specifically used for commercial agriculture activities.

The initiative was aimed to encourage farmers to work on the land and then market their products and to ensure consistent yield of good quality and safe.

The aim of the KKP was to develop the site in line with the concept of Integrated Post Management for farming entrepreneurs to lessen from over-using poison, while bringing the concept of Good Agriculture Practice to enhance the quality yield and Good Farming Management with the use of hi-tech system.

Local entrepreneurs as a whole will have the opportunity to improve themselves and make plans for value-added activities. Furthermore the KKP was also aimed to encourage participation from farming cooperatives as a marketing agents and enhance the knowledge of entrepreneurs regarding the strategies of output and marketing via Human Resource Development programme.

The type of productions which has been approved for the allocated land includes vegetables, decorative, chicken, sheep, duck, hydrophonics and pineapples were among the lots which has been offered.

Each companies allowed to occupy the site will need to pay depending on the type of businesses which is being carried out during the period of one year these includes; vegetables production at $25 per year for one hectare; while decorative plants production; combined production, breeding production will cost $100 per year for one hectare.

Batumpu is one of the area which is one of the activities which is being worked on by locals in a diverse type of business to develop the country's economy, and has an area of 438 hectares and divided into two hectare for each lot which comes to 219 hectare. The area was opened in 1994 and has become a KKP by putting it under the Early Entry status which should be developed by the locals without the approvals or official agreement from the Agriculture Department. (SHS1)

The Brunei Times