KOTA KINABALU: Measures are being taken to mitigate effects of the prolonged dry spell on Sabah agriculture and food production, says Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
The Sabah Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry minister said crops, livestock production along with rubber plantations were the most effected.
Aquaculture and pineapple farming were still able to operate reasonably well at the moment, he said in a statement on Wednesday (March 13).
"The prolonged dry season, exacerbated by the anticipated El-Nino phenomenon, is posing significant challenges to food security production in Sabah," said the Deputy Chief Minister.
Kitingan said the situation was serious and warranted immediate and sustained attention.
"The ministry is actively implementing measures to mitigate the adverse effects and ensure the resilience of our food security production systems," he said.
He said the scarcity of rainfall and rising temperatures had led to reduced river water of between 10% and 40% of their normal levels, impacting agricultural activities, livestock, aquaculture, and rubber production.
Kitingan said measures including irrigation management, in agricultural practices, aquaculture adaptations, livestock management and rubber industry management are now in place to address this matter.
"There is water rationing and the deployment of mobile pumps to ensure irrigation water supply," he said.
He said for agriculture they had advised on postponement of certain farming activities and to use drought-resistant crop varieties where possible.
For livestock management, strategies can be set to mitigate heat stress and feed scarcity for livestocks, he said.
He also suggested temporary suspension of certain activities and emphasis on the maintenance of existing plantations to ensure plant health for the rubber industry.
"Most rivers in Sabah have experienced a decrease in water levels, significantly affecting the supply of irrigation water. Critical areas include Kota Belud, Keningau, Membakut, Tambunan, and Kota Marudu," he said.
Kitingan said irrigation schemes were also affected, with measures like water rationing being implemented to manage the scarce resources.
Kitingan said the Department of Agriculture Sabah found that crop production had reduced due to the El-Nino phenomenon that saw reduced rainfall (around 80mm in January and February 2024), adversely affecting crop agronomy and soil management.
Notably, paddy, vegetative growth, flowering, and fruit setting are hindered, potentially decreasing long-term yields, he said.
Increased temperatures have accelerated soil water evaporation, leading to drier soils and hampered root penetration, affecting nutrient and water absorption, he said.
For certain rice planting areas, crop growth has been stunted due to water shortages, impacting feed availability for livestock, said Kitingan.
For Tagal (conserved areas), there have been no reported fish deaths or significant losses within the "tagal" committees to date but if the dry weather persists, the situation could become more severe, potentially leading to fish mortalities, Kitingan cautioned.
He said the Rural Development Cooperative (KPD) reported challenges in both crop and livestock production, with increased mortality rates in chick transport not exceeding 5% and the need for additional irrigation efforts to sustain crop health.
