Penang vows to protect its padi fields, promote food security

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has vowed to do his best to preserve the state's padi fields and rice production to promote food security and a green environment.

At the launching of the Padi Festival 2.0 in Penanti today, he said padi planting plots have been marked as "nature sensitive areas" in the Penang Structure Plan 2020.

"The size of this area, according to the State Agriculture Department is 12,782 hectares. The average output for padi shows that although Penang is small and its economy is being monopolised by the manufacturing sector, it remains on the second spot (in padi yield) after Selangor with a production of 5.8 ton per hectare," Chow said, citing a 2015/2016 report.

Themed "PadiKu WarisanKu Rezekiku", this is the second year Penanti has held the Padi Festival which showcases an array of agriculture activities, art and products.

The three-day event this year also saw the official opening of the jetties for Kampung Terus and Balai Lintang.

Chow said the state government will continue to give full support to various parties, including Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, Penanti assemblywoman Norlela Ariffin, Village Community Management, Kampung Terus Fishermen Recreational Club and the villagers in Kampung Terus and Guar Jering who wants to protect heritage lands.

He applauded their continued effort to organise programmes to uplift the economic status of farmers, fisherfolks, and villagers in 33 traditional kampungs.

Chow added that these programmes also promote tourism over padi fields, rivers, and agro-products.

"The state government will do its best to provide allocation, basic and public infrastructure and proper regulations to control reclamation of padi fields and conversion of land which continues to happen these days," he said.

Chow said statistics also indicate that padi production is still relevant in Penang to ensure food security, especially during the dry season.

"We are worried that a similar situation would repeat where other countries ban the export of their rice to fulfil the needs of their people due to the drought season and climate change.

"Based on these reasons, the Penang government will put an effort in implementing the recommendations made by Norlela in the Public Accounts Committee report (which was presented in May), where she talks about padi land overtaken and used for development, thus affecting its production," he added. - Mkini