Livestock breeding an important industry

Congratulating the organising committee of the Malaysian Society of Animals Production Conference, themed “Bridging Technology Gap for ASEAN Animals Production”, for holding the conference in Kuching, he said this was a noble effort of the Society because animal production was an important industry, not only in ASEAN region but throughout the world.

“Today’s conference is timely in that animal production is plagued by issues like animal welfare, global warming, antibiotic resistance, human and animal competition for food, animal waste disposal and environmental pollution and international trade boundaries.

“Animal products remain an important and integral part of our daily food consumption, and with the congregation of scientists and academicians, and research conducted, the problems of increasing animal production can be solved.

“Food, like water and air, is life and feeding seven billion people every day is a big challenge for the scientists and food producers. Farming of both livestock and crops is the biggest human endeavour on earth, using more than 38 per cent of ice-free land for agriculture.

“By 2050, it will be a monumental task for another generation to feed global population projected at nine billion, and where will we find enough food for the nine billion people without overwhelming this planet?” asked Adenan.

He said the spread of prosperity across the world, especially China and India, would be driving increased demand for meat, eggs and milk, resulting in more pressure to grow more corn and soya beans to feed more cattle, pigs and chicken.

“We should be very concerned on how our food is produced, whether in a sustainable, efficient and safe manner. Farming has impacted on our water supply which can be polluted by pesticide and fertiliser runoffs,” he said.

He pointed out that farming would also affect climate, releasing more greenhouse gasses than all the cars, trucks and planes in the world combined, largely from methane gas released by cattle and rice farms, nitrous oxide from fertilised fields and cutting of trees to grow crops or raise livestock.

“As with all resources necessary for life - water, air and energy must be balanced and sustainable,” said the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, the three-day conference is being attended by 180 people from all over the world.

Also present at the opening ceremony were Assistant Minister of Agriculture (Farmers’ Organisations) Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran, President of Malaysia Society of Animal Production Dr Abdu Hassan Muhammad Ali and organising chairman of 1st ARCAP 2014 and 35th Annual Conference of MSAP Prof Dr Loh Teck Chwen.

• 
• DATUK Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu (right), accompanied by Dr Abu Hassan Muhammad Ali (left), touring the exhibition after declaring open the 1st ASEAN Regional Conference of Animal Production 2014 (ARCAP) and 35th Annual Conference of Malaysian Society of Animal Production (MSAP). Also seen are Prof Dr Loh Teck Chwen (second right) and Director of State Agriculture Lai Kui Fung (third right). PHOTO: RAMIDI SUBARI