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Our News
Letter to Editor: Securing Ulu Muda for Food Security
Dear Editor,
The granary of Kedah and Perlis is synonymous with the term ‘rice bowl’ or jelapang padi of Malaysia. As a contributor to 40% of our national rice production, this is our food security area. If there are any untoward incidents, such as a geo-political crisis that prevents us from importing rice, this rice bowl will be our only primary source of rice production. In an effort to enhance this food security, the Malaysian Government has increased financial allocation from RM3 billion in 2023 to RM5 billion this year to upgrade the irrigation systems in the Muda Agricultural Development Area (MADA) granary area. This is with the noble intention of increasing the rice production capacity from 4 to 5 crops over two years, against the present capacity of 4 times over two years.
Improving rice production requires a steady water source, which is the reason why the Ahning, Pedu and Muda Dams were built under the MADA granary area. These dams collect water flowing from the Ulu Muda Forest Complex, an important water catchment under the 4th National Physical Plan and the Northern Corridor Economic Region Plan. The granary depends on a steady water supply from these dams that harness water from the forests of Ulu Muda in Kedah. In short, the forest complex here is directly linked to our food security. Spanning 163,810 hectares, the Ulu Muda Forest Complex is an important water catchment that supplies water not only for our food security but also for domestic, industrial and commercial uses. However, a large proportion of Ulu Muda is also designated as production forests for logging to generate income for development in the state. The felling of trees and transportation of logs result in exposure of soil and deep erosion, causing sedimentation in the rivers. Logging in the upper catchments results in high rates of sedimentation and movement of forest debris into the rivers. With logging occurring in the Ulu Muda Forest Complex, the reservoirs will in time be filled with sedimentation, shortening the lifespan of the dams. In addition, the ability of the forests to regulate water flow and provide clean water for our needs will also be affected.
If left unabated, the ability of the dams to provide water at the right time and quantity for paddy cultivation will become compromised and the production of rice for Malaysia will be severely impacted, jeopardising national food security. Our huge investments in dam construction and irrigation improvements will also become futile. The advent of climate change leading to extreme weather events such as prolonged droughts, and excessive rainfalls that carry huge loads of sedimentation will worsen the impact caused by logging. We can prevent this. As citizens of our nation who depend on this area for our food security, we should collectively invest in protecting the source of the water itself, which is the catchment forests in Ulu Muda, and by keeping the forests in this complex intact. The special status of Kedah in rice production and its contribution to the nation’s food security is indisputable. This contribution to our national food security is under threat. There is an urgent need to protect the water source, the water catchment forests. Our taxpayer’s money would be well invested in means to protect our food security. Investing in protecting our forests, especially the Ulu Muda Forest complex, an important water catchment area for the granary, is a critical step in this. Our WWF-Malaysia wish for Budget 2025 is to see a financial transfer that would enable the state of Kedah to meet its development aspirations whilst also protecting the important forest assets that enable the production of rice for all Malaysians. Malaysians must also support this ask, as food security is of paramount importance to us.
Sophia Lim
Executive Director / CEO
WWF-Malaysia
The granary of Kedah and Perlis is synonymous with the term ‘rice bowl’ or jelapang padi of Malaysia. As a contributor to 40% of our national rice production, this is our food security area. If there are any untoward incidents, such as a geo-political crisis that prevents us from importing rice, this rice bowl will be our only primary source of rice production. In an effort to enhance this food security, the Malaysian Government has increased financial allocation from RM3 billion in 2023 to RM5 billion this year to upgrade the irrigation systems in the Muda Agricultural Development Area (MADA) granary area. This is with the noble intention of increasing the rice production capacity from 4 to 5 crops over two years, against the present capacity of 4 times over two years.
Improving rice production requires a steady water source, which is the reason why the Ahning, Pedu and Muda Dams were built under the MADA granary area. These dams collect water flowing from the Ulu Muda Forest Complex, an important water catchment under the 4th National Physical Plan and the Northern Corridor Economic Region Plan. The granary depends on a steady water supply from these dams that harness water from the forests of Ulu Muda in Kedah. In short, the forest complex here is directly linked to our food security. Spanning 163,810 hectares, the Ulu Muda Forest Complex is an important water catchment that supplies water not only for our food security but also for domestic, industrial and commercial uses. However, a large proportion of Ulu Muda is also designated as production forests for logging to generate income for development in the state. The felling of trees and transportation of logs result in exposure of soil and deep erosion, causing sedimentation in the rivers. Logging in the upper catchments results in high rates of sedimentation and movement of forest debris into the rivers. With logging occurring in the Ulu Muda Forest Complex, the reservoirs will in time be filled with sedimentation, shortening the lifespan of the dams. In addition, the ability of the forests to regulate water flow and provide clean water for our needs will also be affected.
If left unabated, the ability of the dams to provide water at the right time and quantity for paddy cultivation will become compromised and the production of rice for Malaysia will be severely impacted, jeopardising national food security. Our huge investments in dam construction and irrigation improvements will also become futile. The advent of climate change leading to extreme weather events such as prolonged droughts, and excessive rainfalls that carry huge loads of sedimentation will worsen the impact caused by logging. We can prevent this. As citizens of our nation who depend on this area for our food security, we should collectively invest in protecting the source of the water itself, which is the catchment forests in Ulu Muda, and by keeping the forests in this complex intact. The special status of Kedah in rice production and its contribution to the nation’s food security is indisputable. This contribution to our national food security is under threat. There is an urgent need to protect the water source, the water catchment forests. Our taxpayer’s money would be well invested in means to protect our food security. Investing in protecting our forests, especially the Ulu Muda Forest complex, an important water catchment area for the granary, is a critical step in this. Our WWF-Malaysia wish for Budget 2025 is to see a financial transfer that would enable the state of Kedah to meet its development aspirations whilst also protecting the important forest assets that enable the production of rice for all Malaysians. Malaysians must also support this ask, as food security is of paramount importance to us.
Sophia Lim
Executive Director / CEO
WWF-Malaysia
© Hasnoor Hussain / WWF-Malaysia
About WWF-Malaysia
World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia) was established in 1972 and is part of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the international conservation organisation. Working to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and nature, WWF-Malaysia’s efforts to conserve nature focus on six major themes: forests, oceans, wildlife, food, climate and energy, as well as freshwater. Our mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.
Find our latest news here:
https://www.wwf.org.my/media_and_information/media_centre_and_updates/
World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia) was established in 1972 and is part of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the international conservation organisation. Working to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and nature, WWF-Malaysia’s efforts to conserve nature focus on six major themes: forests, oceans, wildlife, food, climate and energy, as well as freshwater. Our mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.
Find our latest news here:
https://www.wwf.org.my/media_and_information/media_centre_and_updates/
Surat Kepada Pengarang: Lindungi Ulu Muda untuk Keterjaminan Makananan
Sebagai negeri yang cukup sinonim dengan julukan Jelapang Padi Malaysia, Kedah mempunyai peranan penting sebagai pengeluar beras utama negara. Menyumbang kepada 40% pengeluaran beras negara, kawasan jelapang padi di bawah Skim Pengairan Muda di negeri ini adalah penting bagi memastikan keterjaminan makanan kita. Sekiranya berlaku insiden yang tidak diingini, seperti krisis geopolitik yang menghalang import beras, jelapang padi ini akan menjadi satu-satunya sumber utama pengeluaran padi kita. Justeru, dalam usaha meningkatkan keterjaminan makanan negara, kerajaan Malaysia telah meningkatkan peruntukan kewangan daripada RM3 bilion pada tahun 2023 kepada RM5 bilion tahun ini bagi menaik taraf sistem pengairan di kawasan Lembaga Kemajuan Pertanian Muda (MADA). Inisiatif ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan kapasiti pengeluaran padi daripada 4 musim tanaman dalam tempoh dua tahun, kepada 4 atau 5 musim tanaman dalam tempoh yang sama.
Peningkatan pengeluaran padi memerlukan sumber air yang stabil, dan inilah sebab mengapa Empangan Ahning, Pedu dan Muda yang dibina di bawah Skim Pengairan Muda amat penting. Ketiga-tiga empangan ini menakung air yang mengalir dari Kompleks Hutan Ulu Muda, yang merupakan kawasan tadahan air penting di bawah Rancangan Fizikal Negara ke-4 dan Pelan Pembangunan Wilayah Koridor Utara. Ini bermakna, hutan-hutan di Ulu Muda membekalkan air kepada jelapang padi kita sekaligus memainkan peranan penting dalam keterjaminan makanan negara. Bahkan, Kompleks Hutan Ulu Muda yang meliputi keluasan 163,810 hektar ini bukan sahaja penting sebagai kawasan tadahan air yang memastikan keterjaminan makanan kita, malahan menjamin bekalan air untuk kegunaan domestik, industri dan komersial.
Namun begitu, sebahagian besar Ulu Muda telah diperuntukkan sebagai hutan pengeluaran bagi menjana pendapatan untuk pembangunan negeri. Aktiviti ini boleh menyebabkan tanah terdedah serta hakisan yang meningkatkan pemendapan di kawasan sungai. Aktiviti ini sekiranya berlaku di hulu kawasan tadahan, boleh menyebabkan kadar pemendapan yang tinggi serta menyebabkan bahan-bahan puing dari hutan hanyut ke dalam sungai. Lama-kelamaan, takungan empangan di Kompleks Hutan Ulu Muda akan dipenuhi dengan mendapan, seterusnya memendekkan jangka hayat tiga empangan tersebut. Selain itu, keupayaan hutan untuk mengawal aliran air dan membekalkan air bersih untuk keperluan kita juga akan terjejas.
Jika isu ini tidak ditangani, keupayaan empangan untuk menyediakan air pada masa dan kuantiti yang sesuai bagi penanaman padi akan terjejas. Akibatnya,pengeluaran padi Malaysia akan terkesan dengan teruk, sekaligus mengancam keterjaminan makanan negara. Pelaburan besar untuk membina empangan dan menambahbaik sistem pengairan juga akan menjadi sia-sia. Kesan perubahan iklim yang menyebabkan fenomena cuaca ekstrem seperti kemarau berpanjangan dan hujan lebat yang mengakibatkan pemendapan yang teruk akan memburukkan lagi situasi ini.
Walaubagaimanapun, kejadian ini boleh kita hindari. Sebagai rakyat yang turut bergantung kepada kawasan ini untuk keterjaminan makanan, kita harus berganding bahu dalam menyumbang ke arah perlindungan hutan tadahan air di Ulu Muda, agar ia kekal utuh.
Status istimewa negeri Kedah dalam pengeluaran padi dan sumbangannya kepada keterjaminan makanan negara tidak dapat dipertikaikan. Namun, sumbangan ini kian terancam dan justeru, “sumber” air kita iaitu hutan tadahan air, perlu dilindungi serta-merta.
Sumbangan cukai kita seharusnya dilaburkan dengan baik untuk tujuan melindungi keterjaminan makanan kita. Pelaburan dalam usaha melindungi kawasan hutan tadahan air penting, khususnya Kompleks Hutan Ulu Muda adalah langkah kritikal demi masa depan jelapang padi kita. WWF-Malaysia berharap agar Belanjawan Negara 2025 akan membolehkan pemindahan kewangan yang dapat menyokong negeri Kedah mencapai aspirasi pembangunannya sambil melindungi aset hutan yang penting bagi pengeluaran beras negara. Rakyat Malaysia juga perlu menyokong cadangan ini, kerana keterjaminan makanan adalah perkara yang amat penting bagi kita semua.
Sophia Lim
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif / Pengarah Eksekutif
WWF-Malaysia
- Tamat -
Mengenai WWF-Malaysia
World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia) atau Tabung Alam Malaysia merupakan sebahagian daripada rangkaian World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), sebuah pertubuhan bukan kerajaan antarabangsa yang berusaha untuk memastikan kelestarian alam semula jadi bagi manfaat manusia dan hidupan liar. Ditubuhkan pada tahun 1972, WWF-Malaysia mempunyai misi menghentikan degradasi alam semula jadi bumi dan membina masa hadapan yang harmoni untuk manusia dan alam sekitar. Kebanyakan kerja WWF-Malaysia bertumpu kepada enam fokus, iaitu hutan, laut, air tawar, hidupan liar, makanan, serta iklim dan tenaga.
Jika anda ingin mengetahui lebih lanjut tentang projek-projek WWF-Malaysia, sila layari laman web kami di https://www.wwf.org.my/media_and_information/media_centre_and_updates/
Untuk maklumat lanjut, sila hubungi:
1. Rozzana Basri, Pengarah Komunikasi dan Pemasaran, WWF-Malaysia
Email: rbasri@wwf.org.my
2. Laili Ismail, Ketua Komunikasi, Program Konservasi Daratan Semenanjung Malaysia, WWF-Malaysia
Email: nismail@wwf.org.my