By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, June 11: The Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) has taken proactive steps to reduce reliance on imported onions, developing three new varieties known as red onions BAW-1, BAW-2, and BAW-3, with the ultimate goal of reducing shallot imports by 30 per cent by 2030.
According to its chairman, Dr Azman Ismail, Mardi also looked into several new alternative plants, including sweet potatoes, yams, and other tuberous crops with high nutritional content, which are expected to become future food sources.
“As a research institution mandated with matters related to the food and agriculture industry, Mardi consistently takes significant initiatives to ensure that the country’s agrobiodiversity resources are explored and preserved.
“It also bears the responsibility of ensuring sustainable agriculture through sustainable genetic resource management systems and environmentally friendly cultural practices,” he said when delivering his welcoming speech during the opening ceremony of the ‘2nd Regional Conference on Agrobiodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Utilisation (RAC2) 2024’ held today at a local hotel here.
Azman went on to say that Mardi’s commitment to agrobiodiversity conservation is evident through its various initiatives, including the establishment of field genebanks and the operation of MyGenebank, an advanced facility capable of storing up to 200,000 accessions of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA).
He further highlighted that the organisation prioritises research and skill enhancement in pest management, harnessing the power of natural enemies and biological control methods to mitigate crop damage sustainably.
Kuching will be the focal point of global discussions on agrobiodiversity from June 11 to 13 as it hosts RAC2 2024, as per a press handout.
The conference is being organised by MARDI in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) and the Sarawak government.
RAC2 2024 focuses on critical themes and topics such as Managing Agrobiodiversity in a Changing Climate, Biological Control and Ecological Engineering, Agrobiodiversity Resource Utilisation and Alternatives, and Potential Crops for Food Security.
The event was attended by various dignitaries and officials, including Abang Johari; Food Industry, Commodity, and Regional Development (M-Ficord) Sarawak Minister Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom; M-Ficord Sarawak deputy ministers Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail and Datuk Martin Ben; and MARDI deputy director general (Research) Dr Asfaliza Ramli. — DayakDaily
