KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 (Bernama) -- A total of RM55 million has been allocated for the maintenance of irrigation and drainage systems for agriculture nationwide under the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) this year, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Its Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said that of the total, RM14.8 million is specifically for the East Coast states.
He said that the initiative was part of the ministry's proactive mitigation measures to reduce the impact of floods on the agricultural sector, particularly in East Coast states.
"In addition, the ministry also ensures the readiness of mobile pumps to operate at the optimum level in padi planting areas to drain out water, besides ensuring all tide control gates in these areas are functioning for a more effective control of the water flow,” he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat.
He was replying to a question from Datuk Dr Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh (PN-Pasir Puteh) regarding mitigation measures taken by the ministry to ensure the agricultural sector is not affected during floods, especially in the East Coast states.
Mohamad said other measures taken included implementing climate-smart agriculture, developing varieties resistant to extreme weather, introducing innovative agricultural technologies and strengthening the database systems using the Geographic Information System (GIS).
He also hopes that the country's weather forecast system could be improved for more accurate forecasting to reduce the impact of floods on the agricultural sector.
To a supplementary question from Nik Muhammad Zawawi as to how prepared the government is to provide adequate drainage, especially in the Pasir Puteh area, Mohamad said that for this year, the ministry had received approval for two projects, with a project cost ceiling of RM16 million.
He added that the projects involved upgrading the tidal gate and pump house for areas outside the rice granaries, including Pasir Puteh.
-- BERNAMA
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