Challenges

In Malaysias
Agrotourism Industry

Innovation As Enabler In
Developing Agrotourism
Products

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Apr 2015
Vol: 005
ISSN 2289-6511

Malaysia And FAO Strengthen

Partnership

Agrotechnology Parks As
Platforms For Agrotourism
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MARDI Orchid Hybrids

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772289

651006

Synchronized Flowering of Tecoma,

the Malaysian Cherry Blossoms
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Agrotourism In Malaysia:
Direction And Development Strategy

By: Dr. Chubashini Suntharalingam,

Rosnani Harun and Nik Rozana Nik Mohd
Masdek, Economic and Technology
Management Research Centre, MARDI

grotourism is a subsector of the

travel and tourism industry
that has huge potential and can
increase farmers income regardless of
where they are.
The tourism industry is one of the
fastest growing economic sectors in

Malaysia, contributing 16.1% of the Gross

Domestic Product in 2013 and supporting
1.9 million jobs.
Between 1998 and 2013, the number of
international tourists increased by approximately five folds, from 5.6 million
to 25.7 million. During the same period,
income generated by the arrival of international tourists also increased from
RM8.6 billion to RM65.44 billion.
Venturing into agrotourism as a diversification strategy has brought great
opportunities and advantages to the nations
tourism sector. Agrotourism is also commonly
termed as ecotourism or rural tourism.

Generally, agrotourism refers to the

involvement of agricultural activities for
the purpose of enjoyment and education.
Agrotourism in Malaysia has assisted
local communities, such as farmers,
educate visitors on farming activities and
in return the farmers are compensated for
the services offered.
A good roadmap and clear strategy
is crucial in any effort to develop
agrotourism under the National Agrofood
Policy 2011 - 2020. A clear roadmap will
help ensure that this important sector
remains robust, competitive and relevant
in further developing the agricultural as

Fruit Farm Agrotourism

By: Adam H. Gerten @ Gerten
anak Dominic, MARDI Bintulu,
Dr. Salma Idris, MARDI Serdang,
Pearlycia Brooke, Department of
Agriculture, Sarawak

griculture is Business is
the slogan for strengthening the agricultural
sector u nder t he Ni nt h
Malaysia Plan, encompassing
commercial and biotechnology
aspects and not just generating
income through the sale of farm
products. Agrotourism is part of
the business of agriculture.
Agrotourism is not new in
Malaysia, attracting tourists

to various agriculture-based
attractions and even farms
where tourists get a feel of
farming life as well as tasting
the produce grown on location.
Abroad there are farm stays
where tourists get to experience
actual farm life by taking part
in the daily activities while in
Malaysia some farmers have
turned their fruit farms into
tourist attractions.
MARDI Langkawi Agrotechnology Park is an example of an
agrotourism attraction with 20
species of commercial and wild
fruits, seasonal and non-seasonal
local fruits such as durian,
rambutan, mango, jackfruit, wax
apples and many more.

This park attracted tourists

from all corners of the world and
some have fallen in love with it
and made the park their regular
vacation stop and became brand
ambassadors by promoting it to
their friends.
T he Pen a ng T ropic a l
Fruit Farm is an example of a
privately developed agrotourism
fruit farm and it features more
than 250 types of local exotic
fruits in 25 acres.

More on page 3

well as tourism segments.

Among the goals of the roadmap is to
make agrotourism as a source of income
for local communities.
Most agrotourism entrepreneurs are
locals in rural communities and this has
the potential for increasing the income of
rural communities. The sector is being
developed with a variety of products based
on education, agriculture, food, health,
homestays, exhibitions, handicrafts, faith
and culture.
More on page 8

Apr 2015

VIEW POINT

Challenges In Malaysias Agrotourism Industry

he tourism sector is key to the

countrys economic growth and in
2013 it contributed RM65.4 billion
to our Gross Domestic Product through
tourist spending and foreign exchange.
Tourist arrivals rose 2.7% in 2013 to
25.7 million compared to 25 million in
the previous year. In the first quarter of
2014, Malaysia hosted 7.1 million international tourists and this is almost 10%
more than the 6.45 million tourists who
arrived during the same period in 2013.
The government continues to
strengthen the tourism industry and
allocated RM2 billion in 2014 to build

Advisor
Dato Dr. Sharif Haron
(Director General MARDI)

MARDI Editorial Team

Dr. Mohamad Roff Mohd Noor

tourism infrastructures and even

declared the year as Visit Malaysia Year.
When tabling the 2015 budget, the
Prime Minister, who is also the Finance
Minister allocated RM316 million for
tourism and declared this year as
Malaysia - Year of Festivals 2015
and we are expected to attract 29.4
million foreign tourists and bring in
RM89 billion.
In line with this development, the
challenge for the Government and
the private sector is to transform
agrotourism and lift it to the same level
of importance as the other tourism subsectors.
It is my wish to see everyone take
advantage of the Governments focus on
tourism and make Malaysia - Year of
Festivals 2015 a success.
The agrotourism sub-sector has
many festivals or fiestas that are

related to food, agriculture, livestock

and fishery that can be developed into
innovative agrotourism products and
events.
For example, we can have Food
Festivals celebrating our varied food
tradition, a Harvest Fiesta that shares
our colourful harvest traditions and
cultures and Orchid Fiesta to showcase
the many beautiful orchid varieties.
We can even have a Squid Catching
Festival to share how this favourite
seafood is caught or we can have a Fruit
Buffet Week to get tourists to try out
our delicious tropical fruits or even an
event involving rice planting to teach
how Asias most important staple is
cultivated.
Such fiestas can be developed into a
tourism brand and event and must be
listed in the countrys tourism calendar.
Creativity and innovation is crucial
in any activity, including agrotourism
and the players must come up with
products, brand them and market them.
While the government does what
it can to develop agrotourism, the
private sector must pitch in by creating
new products and activities that are
innovative and can attract visitors.
Agrotourism in Malaysia still relies
heavily on domestic visitors and the
countrys constantly improving living
standards means that our local tourists
have higher expectations than before .
Therefore, agrotourism products
should be developed to take into
account their desires and expectations
and a detailed study on this would be
very useful to the industry. Although
emphasis should be given to domestic
tourists, agrotourism products must

also attract foreign visitors

Although agrotourism is relatively
young in this country, it has the
potential to provide handsome returns
to the economy and should be further
explored.
In 2009, agrotourism contributed 4%
to the countrys tourism industry and it
is expected to rise to 6% by 2020 and the
number of agrotourists are expected to
rise from 2 million in 2013 to 6 million
in 2020.
In line with the theme of the 2015
budget which puts emphasis on the
people, the development of agrotourism
should also focus on the peoples
economy and we have chosen the
theme Agrotourism: New Source of
Prosperity to reflect this.
Agrotourism should help improve
the income of farmers, breeders and
fishermen, open new job opportunities
and encourage the growth of associated
activities.
For example, tourists to Cameron
Highlands helped to improve the sale
of local agricultural products and the
tourist trade accounts for 25% or RM150
million in sales of vegetables, flowers
and other agricultural products.
I hope the National Seminar on
Agrotourism 2014 will spur new ideas
and developments in the industry and
give birth to new initiatives that can
react quickly to the rapid development
of the industry.

DATO SRI ISMAIL SABRI YAAKOB

Minister of Agriculture and
Agro-based Industry
National Agrotourism Seminar 2014

Malaysia And FAO Strengthen

Partnership

Dr. Ainu Husna MS Suhaimi

Rohani Md Yon
Maheswary Vellupillai
Norhafizah Mohd Yusof
Muhammad Zahid Azmi

Copywriter
Shamsul Bahari Mohd Yunos

Designer
Sham Hosni

Art Director
Spice Communications Sdn Bhd
For enquiries, please contact

STRONGER TIES FAO representation, Senior MOA Officials and MARDI officers at the Strengthening Malaysia FAO
Cooperation Workshop

Scientia MARDI
MARDI Headquarters,
Persiaran MARDI-UPM,
43400 Serdang Selangor,

By: Dario Gilmozzi

FAO Headquarters, Rome, Italy

Tel : 603-8943 7317

Fax : 603-8984 3664
Email : scientia.mardi@gmail.com

shusna@mardi.gov.my

For navigation and contact,

scan with your smartphone

n September 2014, FAO Director

General Jose Graziano da Silva
visited Malaysia to discuss a
number of issues of common interest.
Recognising Malaysias achievements
especially in eradicating poverty and
hunger, through innovative transformation programmes, the FAO Director
General and the Minister of Agriculture
and Agro-Based Industry, Dato Sri
Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob, jointly signed
a letter declaring their interest in
establishing an FAO Office in Malaysia
and in developing a partnership
programme within the framework of
South-South Cooperation in the areas of

food and agriculture as well as poverty

reduction. With its policies and transformation programmes, in the past
two decades or so, Malaysia has made
tremendous progress in agricultural
development, poverty reduction and
food security. In fact, by 2014, Malaysia
had already achieved the hunger target
set by the first Millennium Development
Goal MDG-1 to reduce by 2015 at least
by half the proportion of people in the
country suffering from undernourishment. For this reason, on 30 November
2014, FAO officially awarded Malaysia
for reaching the MDG-1 target. This
achievement will certainly serve as
an inspiration for other countries
in their continued efforts towards
eradicating extreme poverty and
hunger. Furthermore, many believe
that the Malaysian experience can help

African countries to overcome extreme

poverty and hunger.
To translate the interest expressed
by Minister of Agriculture and
Agro-Based Industry and the FAO
Director General into reality, the
Malaysian Permanent Representative
in Rome, senior Government officials
from Ministry of Agriculture and
Agro-Based Industry (MOA), and FAO
senior officials, have enhanced their
collaborative efforts. In November 2014,
an FAO delegation visited Malaysia and
in December 2014, this was reciprocated
by a visit of senior Government officials
from Malaysia to FAO headquarters to
continue the negotiation.

More on page 12

Apr 2015

TECHNOLOGY
EDITORIAL

Innovation As Enabler In Developing

Agrotourism Products

By: Dato Dr. Sharif Haron

Director General, MARDI

hen launching the Langkawi

Tourism Blueprint in 2011,
Prime Minister, Datuk Seri
Najib Razak identified three key elements
that determine the success of the tourism
industry in Malaysia, infrastructures,
products and enablers.
A good agrotourism destination
must be sustainable and innovative,
but the approach must be done in a
holistic manner taking into account a
combination of product, technology,
marketing, organisation, process,
branding and strategy because creative
and innovative products alone cannot
ensure success.
Infrastructure is the first touchpoint
for visitors. The types of facilities
available determine what kind of first
impression generated in the minds of
tourists. First impressions are made

within the first 10 minutes of interaction

and infrastructure plays a key role in
creating a good first impression.
Meanwhile, the enablers are factors
that support and encourage the growth
of a particular tourism destination or
product and they include marketing,
transport, branding, promotions and
service level.
Visitors come for the products,
however, if the infrastructure is lacking
and the enablers are not up to standard,
there is little chance of the visitors
returning and may even share their bad
experiences with their circle of influence.
At the Cameron Highlands
Agrotourism Park we have identified
nice products, six key infrastructure
requirements and three enablers.
Among the three enablers are
branding and marketing, training and
skills development and research and
development.
We believe that innovations in
terms of products, technology, strategy,
branding, marketing and process
can ensure sustainable growth of our
agrotourism park.
Innovation must be made systemic
and affect the entire value chain, carried
out by cross-functional teams and take
place continuously.
An innovative agrotourism product
should have the WOW factor. It should
be unique with some sort of competitive
advantage and should be iconic in a way
that is related to agrotourism, be it in
the sharing of farming methods or food
processing techniques.
According to Sustainable Rural
Tourism, visitors flock to agrotourism
destinations to purchase or taste or
experience unique non-food products and
usually they make a day out to the venue
to mark a special occasion. From here we

can see how important it is for a tourism

product to be special and give visitors a
memorable experience.
Agrotourism products are also
considered educational and most visitors
expect to discover something new,
whether they are agricultural products,
practices or cultures. They also relate
agriculture to nature, beauty and spa
products.
The more obvious attractions include
learning about livestock rearing or just
seeing a wild animal in a controlled
environment.
Picking fruits and other agricultural
products as well as visiting a farmers
market is part of their expectations of an
agrotourism product.
A farm attraction can be packaged
into an experience that includes a visit,
with educational explanation, product
tasting and even an overnight experience
to turn a simple visit into a memorable
occasion. An example of this is the
Durian Tour in Johor and Penang.
A strong branding and marketing
effort has made these tours successful in
attracting visitors and they have become
truly premium tourism products.
The Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical
Garden in Thailand is an agrotourism
product based on education, preservation,
research and conservation.
It is unique by being the most
beautiful garden in South East Asia,
with the largest collection of palms and
orchids. These features and the unique
marketing positioning have allowed
this 600-acre park to attract more than
a million visitors every year.
An example of a unique culture being
marketed innovatively is the TAGAL
System among the Kadazandusun in
Sabah, where a particular ecosystem is
maintained and sustained for the benefit

From front page

Fruit Farm Agrotourism

Their package includes a
guided farm tour that lasts for
45 minutes and culminates
in a fruit tasting session and
a complimentary fresh fruit
juice made on the farm.
The Desaru Fruit Farm was
voted the best agrotourism
site in Malaysia in 2006 and it
covers 180 acres with 100 types
of fruit trees. Here visitors are
given a chance to understand
good farming practices and
their unique integrated pest
management programme.
MARDI Strategic Resources
Research Centre with the
cooperation of the Sarawak,
S ab a h a nd Pen i n su l a r
Malaysia Depar tment of
Agriculture has embarked
on a project for rejuvenating
biodiversity. The project is
funded by UNEP-GEF and
supervised by Biodiversity
International.
Through this project,
agrotourism through local
fruit farms has been identified
as a way of increasing farmers
income and can contribute
towards food production

as well as maintaining the

ecosystem.
Farmers are taken to
fa r m-ba sed ag rotou ri sm
attractions to expose them to
the idea and open their minds
to the different aspects of
agriculture.
K a mpu ng K a keng i n
Serian is one of the rural
communities chosen to take
part in this project and it has
the potential to thrive as a
tourist destination as it offers a
unique experience of visiting a
fruit farm that features species
that occur naturally in the
area.
The variety of fruit species,
the pristine environment and
beautiful landscape are the
most valuable assets of the
local Bidayuh community.
Fruit trees here are planted
to preserve their wild and
n at u ra l ch a rac ter i st ic s,
creating a fruit farm that is
minimally invasive to the
surrounding ecosystem.
The highland location
and beautiful scenery can
attract international tourists,

especially if the natural

beauty, biodiversity and
unique local customs are
properly presented to them.
The Diversity Block
approach is being used to
concentrate and relocate
various fruit species in one
area. Tourists can also climb
the prepared track to the
nearby Mount Tara.
Along the way, tourists
can stop at several fruit farms
and sample unique local fruits
while enjoying the gorgeous
sceneries.
Agriculture and non-agriculture based products are also
being developed to inject more
variation into the agrotourism
sector while diversifying the
farmers income.
T his activity creates
a system for rejuvenating
tropical fruit species in-situ in
a way that makes it attractive
to tourists.

of future generations.
In this example, tourists are exposed
to the exciting prospect of seeing a
pristine environment teeming with
fish that exists as a result of deliberate
efforts of the local native community,
an experience that they cannot enjoy
anywhere else.
In Terengganu, tourists can take
part in Fiesta Menggerau Ikan, which
is a unique way of catching fish through
traditional netting method which is
hardly seen outside of Hulu Terengganu.
Branding, unique concepts and
taglines help to differentiate MARDI
Agrotechnology Parks from other
tourism parks and this helps to give
them an edge over the many destinations
that jostle for tourist attention and
dollars.
The parks are built around the
TICER concept which combines
Technology, Innovation, Conservation,
Education and Recreation.
MARDIs experience in Cameron
Highlands show that the number
of tourists really began to rise once
innovative products were introduced
and promoted. These products revolve
around the idea of the living classroom
as well as ways of engaging visitors into
agriculture and conservation. We call
them Tani Warriors and Green Shoot.
These youngsters engagement
programmes include photo competition,
cooking experience, fun run, product
tasting, preservation of traditional
farming methods and many others.
Innovation can ensure that
agrotourism products are unique and
iconic and this will make it a competitive
subsector within the already competitive
tourism industry. Systemic innovation is
the way forward in ensuring sustainable
growth and development of the sector.

Apr 2015

TECHNOLOGY

Root Restriction Technology

To Control Tree Size

Root restricted starfruits

By: Dr. Zainudin Meon

Horticulture Research Centre , MARDI

igger is not always better in the

fruit industry. If the tree is too
big then harvesting may be more
difficult.
Fast and vigorous growth of fruit
trees is a major problem for viable fruit
cultivation in Malaysia. A series of
studies were conducted to investigate
the effects of root restriction technology
on growth and economic yield of tropical
fruit species such as starfruit, mango,
citrus and wax apple.
Although numerous chemicals have

Root restricted plants and non-root restricted plants

been used to retard vegetative growth,
these chemicals had many detrimental
effects on the plants. For instance,
excessive use of paclobutrazol and
diaminazode has reportedly reduced
terminal shoot growth and leaf areas in
fruits resulting in tree crowding, all of
which reduce yield in the next cropping.
The use of geotextile membrane has
been effective as root barriers. It blocks
regenerating roots and this has proved
beneficial.
In-ground fabric containers made of
non-woven polypropylene geotextile have
been suitable in preventing excessive root
growth beneath the container.
The restriction in root growth by the

non-woven fabric resulted in higher yield

and reduction in tree size in all fruit
types tested.
In starfruits for instance, due to
the absence of dwarfing rootstocks,
the control of growth has been done
physically through restricted containers
for commercialised planting. The
restricted plants had 18% higher yield
compared to conventional planting and
due to their smaller size, four times more
trees can be planted in a given area.
No nutrient deficiency symptoms
were observed within the first two years
of planting. Among the other profound
effects of root restriction are hastening
in flowering, even distribution of water

supply and earlier reproduction which

has no effect on flower numbers at
anthesis and full bloom.
Precocious and high efficient plants
are advantageous in enhancing yield
efficiency at the same time minimising
water usage and fertilizer applications.
Root restriction technology has also
been tested on fast-growing landscape
trees. Excessive growth of fast-growing
species often caused pavement cracks
and road damage. Large canopy and big
branches also caused limb breakage.
Root restriction technique has been
successfully used to suppress root system
and obtain desired tree size and control
excessive shoot growth.

Micro Cutting For Mass Propagation

Of Landscape Trees
By: Ab. Kahar Sandrang, Sakinah Idris and
Zabedah Mahmood
Horticulture Research Centre, MARDI

he micro cutting method for

vegetative propagation has the
potential to solve the problem of
inconsistent seed supply of landscape
trees.
Most of landscape trees are
propagated using seeds. Inconsistency
of seed supply and low viability posed
problems in the production of landscape
materials.
For example, the golden chain tree
(Lophanthera lactescens) produces
thousands of seeds per tree but the
viability is less than 1%. Vegetative
propagation would facilitate the
propagation to be carried out at any time
and in a large quantity.
However, not all tree species are
readily multiplied by vegetative
propagation methods, some require
special environment and techniques.
A propagation technique called micro
cutting has been developed which could
overcome the problem in multiplication
of difficult to propagate species.
Micro cutting is a propagation
technique that uses stem cuttings
obtained from juvenile mother plants,
either raised from seeds or micro
propagation. The process flow of micro
cutting is described in Figure 1.
Cuttings from the juvenile mother
plants are normally easier to root
because they contain less rooting
inhibitors and less physical barrier for
the root initials to develop into roots.
The mother plants are prepared
in a special mother plant beds. The
juvenility of mother plants could be
maintained for about three years by
planting them in a dense planting
system, frequently pruned and under
shaded condition.
Micro cuttings, either from the
terminal or intermediate sections of
mother plant shoots, cut about 3 - 4

Figure 1. Process flow of micro cutting in relation to the other propagation techniques
cm in length can be planted in any
propagation systems as they do not
require any special propagation facility.
However, it is recommended that
open capillary propagation system with
perlite as the medium to be used.
Rooting usually takes place between
one and three weeks, and the rooted
cuttings can be transplanted into pots
at 3 - 4 weeks.
For long distance transportation, the
rooted cuttings are kept in small plastic
bags (20 cuttings each) and packed in
carton boxes.
Micro cutting has the potential of
increasing the number of tress that can
be exploited for landscaping especially

since some of the indigenous species

identified for the purpose are difficult to
multiply or cannot be multiplied with the
present propagation techniques.
Micro cutting enables propagation
and multiplication of such species and
this creates new business.
Planting of 20 million trees by 2020
could be achieved through efficient
production of planting materials. This
has a direct influence on the nursery and
landscaping industries.
There is great potential for export of
indigenous materials. Some materials
are already in high demand overseas
but supply is insufficient. Through this
technique, materials can be rapidly mass

produced.
Micro cutting can be utilised for
cloning of trees with special traits.
For example, landscape trees with
synchronized flowering which would give
the sakura effect and the yellow rain
tree (YRT) that give the autumn effect
can be cloned for these special purposes.
Micro cutting will also facilitate the
cloning and mass propagation of selected
forest species in a cheaper way and this
facilitates reforestation.
Low cost of production and profitability enables production of planting
materials especially those of high value
to be carried out at a commercial scale.

Apr 2015

ACHIEVEMENT

Agrotechnology Parks As Platforms

For Agrotourism
By: Dato Dr. Masri Muhammad,
Deputy Director General (Rt), MARDI
Dr. Ainu Husna M S Suhaimi,
Corporate Communication, International
& Quality Division, MARDI

he success of MARDIs Agrotechnology Parks in Cameron

Highlands and Langkawi is proof
that agriculture can be developed into
major tourism attractions and products.
Steps are in place to further develop
these agrotechnology parks into world
class tourist destinations. Two key areas
which need further improvement are
infrastructure and amenities as they are
important touchpoints for visitors and
can really enhance their first impression
and overall holiday experience.
As a tourist destination, these parks
focus on agricultural technologies and
innovations while featuring traditional
values and a bit of history to ensure
that they meet the goals of sustainable
agrotourism in technology development
while sustaining traditions.
MARDI developed the two agrotechnology parks as a platform for a
unique way of promoting agriculture
through tourism while offering a
unique experience to visitors by
following the TICER concept which
combines Technology, Innovation,
Conservation, Education and Recreation.
The agrotechnology parks are not just
tourist spots, but have the potential
for sparking technology transfer and
spur innovations among the farmer

community.
This is in line with MARDIs
mandate to carry out research in
farming and food production, and
promote, transfer and commercialise
the technologies to target groups. Since
its establishment, MARDI has developed
many new technologies and innovations
which are documented in various
publications but very few have been put
on show or display so they can be better
appreciated by the public.
Various strategies and methods
have been used to promote the transfer
of technologies and innovations to
the target groups through seminars,
lectures, demonstrations, exhibitions,
publications and others.
Agrotoursim is actually a method
used by MARDI to promote and transfer
technologies.
The agrotechnology park is
showcased as a living classroom
where visitors can see, learn and gain
information about the latest technologies
and innovations in agriculture.
As a tourist destination, these parks
need to appeal to a wide spectrum of
visitors and to do this, the parks also
feature elements of agricultural history
and allows visitors to see traditional
farming methods and even show a
selection of genetic sources for plants.
Everything is presented in a
beautifully landscaped environment that
is also a sustainable farming ecosystem.
A g rotou ri sm products a re
educational but they should not be too
serious and information should be
shared through easy to follow narratives
or storytelling so that the result is
a combination of agrotainment and
edutainment.
A mong t he activities
conducted at the parks are
pick-pay-pack, petting
zoo, organic fertiliser
processing, cooking
competitions, flower
arrangment, ketupat
weaving and others.
This approach
allows visitors to gain
first-hand experience
of TICER and this interactivity promotes
better understanding and generates

more interest in farming.

Opened in 2003, the Cameron
Highlands Agrotechnology Park is a
centre of excellence for research and
innovation in highlands farming.
Its motto is Towards Sustainable
Highlands Agriculture.
Located at an altitude of 1,400 meters,
the park attracts many visitors. The
cool climate (14-24 0C) allows visitors
to experience the serenity of specialty
gardens such as English, Nepenthes,
Orchid and Home Kitchen/Edible
Garden.
Strawberry cultivation plots, tea
plantation, fertigation and hydrophonic
models such as vertical farming that
tackles land erosions are also on show
to help everyone learn something new
and interesting about agrotechnology
and how it makes our lives better.
Part of the park is the oldest
operating tea processing plant which
has been in operation since 1935 and it
is considered a priceless heritage and a
living museum.
The park is also home for the
dramatic jade vine (Strongylodon
macrobotrys) that features clusters of
unique claw-like jade blue flowers that
can grow up to 90 cm in length and is the
icon flower of the park.
The park also has recreational
facilities such as playgrounds, petting
zoo, gazebos, giant teapot replica,
cafeterias and accommodation making
MARDI Cameron Highlands Agrotechnology Park an ideal vacation
destination for all ages.
In 2004, the park attracted 44,590
visitors. The number rose to 131,300 in
2008 and jumped to 190,000 in 2011 or
a quarter of all tourists to Cameron
Highlands.
The number of visitors are expected
to rise to 350,000 in 2015 and as a result
of the growth, income from tourist
activities grew from RM770,000 in 2006
to RM1.97 million in 2011. Nearly 95%
of MARDI Cameron Highlands Agrotechnology Park visitors are domestic
tourists.
Langkawi Agrotechnology Park was
launched in July 2005 and visitors there
can see innovations related to tropical
fruit growing and processing as well as
vegetable and herb production.
Spread on 25 hectares of land, this

park is a large-scale in situ conservation

area for tropical fruit varieties and
ecosystems where natural landscapes
and their diversity are conserved.
Demonstration plots are available
for integrating technologies for the
cultivation of plant species and varieties
under greenhouses as well as orchardbased farming system.
Visitors will be able to see technologybased agricultural products and up to 20
varieties of tropical fruit trees, vegetable
and herb gardens as well as stingless bee
farming.
Perhaps the most famous attraction
is the guided tour through the fruit
farms which also includes a buffet of
mouth watering, luscious seasonal and
non-seasonal tropical fruits.
Equipped with an observation tower,
cafeteria and gift shop, the park with its
edutainment concept is appealing to all.
Langkawi also offers several
interesting tourism packages that
include camping, farm tour, jungle
trekking, flying fox and team building.
The Langkawi Agrotechnology
Park recorded 3,383 visitors in 2005 and
rose to 24,122 in 2008 before jumping to
56,782 in 2011, while income rose from
RM130,000 in 2006 to RM700,000 in 2011.
The park received close to 89,000 visitors
in 2014.
In contrast to Cameron Highlands
where nearly all the visitors are
domestic tourists, Langkawis position
as an international travel destination
meant that more than 85% of Langkawi
Agrotechnology Park visitors are foreign
tourists.
The latest addition to the family is
the recently approved Cherating Agrotechnology Park which will put emphasis
on coconut-based agrotourism, including
integrated farming with fruits, herbs,
bee keeping and livestock rearing.
The facilitys strategic seaside
location is expected to draw tourists,
especially international visitors who
come to the popular seaside resort town
of Cherating.
I n f r a st r uc t u re development
including an arrival lobby and parking
area is underway. Currently MARDI
Cherating is attracting between 2,000
and 3,000 visitors and the number is
expected to grow to 10,000 once the park
is fully operational.

Apr 2015

FOCUS

MARDI Orchid Hybrids

By: Dr. Rozlaily Zainol and Farah Zaidat
Mohd Nadzri,
Horticulture Research Centre, MARDI

rchid is listed as one of the

cou nt r ys fou r i mpor t a nt
f loriculture commodities and
it represents 38% of the Malaysian
floriculture industry with production
of 417 million tonnes of flowers valued
at RM336,998 from 2,224 ha of production
areas.
More than 80% of Malaysian

orchids are exported to Singapore and

other major export markets including
Japan, Greece, Azerbaijan, Australia,
New Zealand, Netherland, USA and
Mauritius.
Orchids in Malaysia are marketed as
cut-flower, potted and landscape plants.
However, the cut-f lower market for
orchids is shrinking whereas demand
for potted and landscape plants are
increasing.
The industry is constrained by
several factors and one of them is lack
of new competitive varieties to keep pace
with consumer preferences. MARDI

has embarked on an orchid breeding

programme to assist the orchid industry
in Malaysia.
The development of new orchid
varieties is done through hybridisation and more than 25 beautiful
new variations have been developed.
Emphasis was given for development
of new tropical orchid types such as
the Vandaceous and Dendrobium while
Cattleya, a temperate orchid type, was
developed to be a heat tolerant hybrid to
meet demands in niche markets.
Good f lower quality in terms of
flower shape, colour, size, number of

flowers per spray, flower shelf-life and

plant vigour are the main characteristics aimed by orchid breeders. The novel
characters such as fragrance and unique
shapes are considered as bonus.
Almost all MARDIs hybrids
were named to honour distinguished
persons and all these hybrids had
been registered with the International
Registration Authority for Orchid
Hybrids in United Kingdom.

MARDI Fragrant Orchids

Two cultivars of sweet fragrant Rhyncholaeliocattleya Datin Seri Rosmah were

launched by Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor during her visit to MAHA 2010 and 2014

Renantanda Datuk Dr. Abd Shukor was

named after the 8th Director General of
MARDI before his retirement in 2012

Cattlianthe Datin Rahailah was named

after the wife of the 8th Director General of MARDI, Datuk Dr. Abdul Shukor
bin Abd. Rahman, in March 2011

Trichovanda MARDI, a unique strongly

fragrant variety was generated using
the wild orchid species,Trichoglottis faciata x Vanda tricolor var. suavis

Cattleya Datin Robiah was named after

the wife of the Secretary General, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, Dato Mohd Mokhtar bin Ismail,
in August 2010

Asocenda Puan Sri Suslita has unique

flower shape and strongly fragrant
flowers

The Sun-Loving Orchids For Landscaping

Renanthera Tan Sri Dr. Ali was named

after the Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia, Tan Sri Dr. Ali
Hamsa, during his visit to MARDI in
December 2013

Dendrobium Bidimahan, a curly horntype Dendrobium, is suitable for landscaping due to the compact and long
inflorescences and heat-tolerance characteristics. The hybrid derived its name
from a combination of names of the Director General Public Service Malaysia,
Tan Sri Mohamad Zabidi Zainal and his
wife, Puan Sri Asmahan Ismail

Vanda Datin Seri Doctor Aishah was

named after the wife of the honourable
Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based
Industry, Datuk Seri Haji Noh Omar,
during her visit to MAHA in 2010

Apr 2015

FOCUS
MARDI Royal Orchids

Dendrobium Sultanah Kalsom was named after Her Royal Highness,

the Sultanah of Pahang

Dendrobium Tuanku Nur Zahirah was named after Her Royal Highness,
the Sultanah of Terengganu

Mokara Tuanku Siti Aishah was released in conjunction with the working visit of the late Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong XI and
Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong to MARDI headquarters
in July 2000

Dendrobium Tuanku Fauziah was named in honour of Her Majesty Seri

Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong XII, in September 2002

A trigeneric orchid, Mokara Tengku Anis, was named in honour of Her

Royal Highness DYMM Raja Perempuan Kelantan in March 2009

Dendrobium Abdullah Badawi was named after the honourable 5th

Prime Minister, Dato Seri Abdullah bin Hj. Ahmad Badawi, in November 2006

A bigeneric hybrid, Aranda Doctor Siti Hasmah, was named in honour

of Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah Mohd. Ali, the wife of the fourth Prime Minister,
Tun Dr. Mathathir Mohammad in 2004

Mokara Datin Seri Endon was named after Datin Paduka Seri Endon
Mahmood, the wife of our 5th Prime Minister, Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

Dendrobium Datin Seri Jeanne was named after the wife of our 5th
Prime Minister, Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in conjunction with
her visit to MAHA 2008

Mokara Puan Sri Noorainee was named after the wife of our current
Deputy Prime Minister and the Education Minister of Malaysia, Tan Sri
Dato Hj. Muhyiddin bin Hj. Mohd Yassin, during his position as the
Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry in 2005

Apr 2015

COMMERCIALISATION

Agrotourism In Malaysia:

From front page

Direction And Development Strategy

Another example of agrotourism can

be experienced by visiting MARDIs agrotechnology parks in Cameron Highlands
and Langkawi. Both these parks showcase
the latest agricultural technologies and
innovations with amazing landscape
architecture.
Holiday agrotourism packages are
also offered to tourists to experience life
in rural areas and exploring sites that
are conserved and preserved to protect
Malaysias rich biodiverse flora and fauna.
These agrotourism packages can also
be offered directly abroad and tailoring
them to the needs of the different market
segments. Other agrotourism activities
include cooking competition, flower
arrangement and traditional weaving
demonstrations.
The agrotourism industry in Malaysia
is anticipated to be a key driver of the
nations economic growth in the future.
In order for the industry to thrive, several
issues need to be addressed.
Our hotels and lodges must be
upgraded and services must be of
excellent quality. In order to achieve such
a standard, hotel front-liners and service

providers must be trained and empowered

to attend to the needs of tourists with a
personal touch. Hotels and lodges that offer
extraordinary services in comfortable
settings are very much sought after these
days.
Certification and a rating system for
agrotourism locations can encourage
operators to improve their facilities.
Regular maintenance of agroparks
is crucial. Entrance fees can be utilised
to rehabilitate, maintain, preserve and
conserve the parks as well as for upgrading
the parks facilities. In some countries,
local and international park visitors pay
different entrance fees.
It is common that internationals pay
twice the amount as compared to locals. In
some countries, visitors pay a fee based on
the type of park access desired.
Before deciding on an appropriate feestructured system, studies are required
to establish a fee payment structure for
valuing ecosystem services provided by
these parks.
If a fee-structured system is adopted
in Malaysia, it is crucial that the extra
money charged commensurate with the

International tourists arrivals and receipts

Source: Tourism Malaysia
satisfaction derived from visiting the
parks.
Agrotourism in Malaysia is developed
according to district and clusters to make
them easier to manage with the given level
of available resources.
Indirectly, agrotourism can boost
local economies while giving the country
more positive exposure. In line with this
strategy, MARDI is developing a National
Botanical Garden in Shah Alam, which

will be the main icon for the countrys

agrotourism.
Success depends on cooperation among
many parties including travel agents
through the Malaysia Association of Tour
and Travel Agent (MATTA), the Tourism
Ministry together with Tourism
Malaysia and the State Governments.
These agencies should be encouraged
to come up with ways of enhancing the
appeal of agrotourism.

The elegant Medinilla sp.

By: Dr. Zulhazmi Sayuti and Nor Ahya
Mahadi,MARDI Cameron Highlands &
Horticulture Research Centre

he Medinilla sp. is a flowering shrub that

belongs to the same family as Melastoma

sp., Melastomaceae.
It is normally used as a potted plant for
indoor or outdoor landscapes. In Malaysia,
there are two popular species that are favoured
by landscape artists and gardeners, namely
Medinilla magnifica and Medinilla speciosa.
The first originates from the Philippines
and is commonly known as the Philippine
orchid. This particular species has the
ability to grow to about 3 meters in height
and produces broad leaves with coarse veins
that are clearly visible on the surface. It also
produces long inflorescences measuring about
50 centimetres with attractive pink-coloured
bracts.
In comparison, M. speciosa is smaller and
typically grows to less than one meter tall and
has small bracts inflorescences.
Many of these species grow in Borneo and
other mountainous forest areas about 300
meters above sea level.
It can also be found on the island of Java
and the Philippines. Generally, M. speciosa is
preferable in landscape with 25-50% shading
requirement to avoid burning of the leaves
when exposed to direct sunlight.

Categorised as an epiphyte, the Medinilla

sp. grows under the canopy of other larger trees
and requires optimum moisture to survive.
Immersion watering that applies capillary
reactions is the best potted plant practice.
Proper care of this perennial plant will
produce beautiful Medinilla sp. which can be
used as ornamental plants in outdoor settings
or as part of an interior decoration theme for
a certain period of time.
Another species found in Malaysia is the
Medinilla candican, a native species which is
not yet widely used in the ornamental plant
industry.
This species was found by a group of
MARDI researchers in Bukit Tinggi forest
(> 700 meters above sea level). The size is the
same as M. speciosa but has orange-coloured
inflorescences.
During the early propagation stage, the seed
culture technique was used following the micro
cutting technique to enhance the increase in
the number of existing plants.
Growing plants are placed in MARDI
Cameron Highlands to acquire actual growth
performance until flowering since the plants
failed to produce flowers when planted in
lowland areas.
Mature healthy plants have the potential for
producing large numbers of orange-coloured
inflorescences.
Due to its attractive appearance, Medinilla
candican should be considered for promotion
as potted and landscape plants in the highland
tourism area.

The beautiful splendid pink flyleaves of Medinilla magnifica

The orange-coloured infloresence of Medinilla candican

Apr 2015

COMMERCIALISATION

Synchronized
Flowering of
Tecoma, the
Malaysian Cherry
Blossoms

Jacarandas Walk Cherry blossoms tunnel, South Africa

By: Sakinah Idris, Ab Kahar Sandrang
and Dr. Zabedah Mahmood,
Horticulture Research Centre, MARDI

ecoma (Tabebuia pentaphylla)is a

popular ornamental plant native
to Central and South America. It is
also known as the Cherry Blossoms of
Penang after its pink flowers which are
much like the cherry blossoms of Japan.
In Malaysia, tecoma are usually
planted along the highways and road
sides, in car parks and recreational areas.
During the flowering season, tecoma
blooms profusely.
However, from the study that has been
conducted, synchronized flowering can

only be obtained in areas with long dry

spells such as in Alor Setar.
The main flowering season normally
occurs in March and April and another
minor flowering occurs in July. During
the main flowering season, the tecoma
blooms gives a very wonderful landscape
impact just like the cherry blossoms in
Japan.
The flowering of tecoma has become
an important attraction to visitors in
Alor Setar. However in most other cities,
flowering is not synchronized, some trees
have heavy flowers, while others flower
scantily.
The erratic flowering of tecoma is
believed to be due to differences in the
genetic makeup of individual trees. Most
tecoma planted in the landscape areas

Tecoma plants in Alor Setar, Kedah

Tecoma plants in Putrajaya

originated from open pollinated seeds.

Attempts have been made to synchronize
flowering of tecoma (in areas other than
Alor Setar) by chemical and cultural
methods, but the success was very limited.
This problem can be overcome if
clonal materials are used. However,
propagation of tecoma using conventional
techniques such as cutting, grafting and
layering have not been successful.
Recently, MARDI developed the double
cutting technique for cloning difficult
to propagate trees such as tecoma.
The technique basically combined two
cuttings such that the mature cuttings
from selected ortets (scion) are grafted
on to the juvenile cuttings which become
the rooting system.
The combined cuttings are planted in

the propagation chamber. The union is

formed after 8 weeks simultaneously with
the time the juvenile cutting takes to root.
After 10 weeks the cuttings are ready to
be planted in pots.
Once the potential trees (ortets)
have been successfully cloned, mass
propagation can be easily done by
conventional vegetative propagation
techniques such as cutting and layering.
With this technique, MARDI
successfully propagated and cloned
selected tecoma trees with the ability
to flower heavily. Thus, planting of
MARDIs selected tecoma clones could
enable synchronize flowering giving a
more significant cherry blossom effect in
Malaysian landscape.

Yellowing Of Honey Mandarin

By: Rohani Md Yon,
Strategic Planning and Innovation Management
Division, MARDI

ranges should be orange, if they are green,

most people find them to be less attractive.
Oranges grown in Malaysia such as the Honey
Mandarin remain green even though the fruit has
gained complete maturity.
The hot and wet climate inhibits the peel from
turning yellow as in the cooler temperate countries.
The unattractive green colour of the peel makes
it unsuitable for celebrations such as Chinese New
Year which requires attractive yellow/orange
coloured citrus.
Even though the Honey Mandarin has a fresh
sweet taste, sales of the fruit is rather slow as most
consumers immediately assume that the fruit is sour
due to the green peel colour.
To overcome this problem and improve
marketing, yellowing of the citrus fruit can be done
using ethylene gas, a natural hormone produced by
fruits during the ripening process.
The gas can also be bought commercially for the
yellowing process, which takes place in two stages
and is normally done in the ripening room.
The first stage is the induction process using the
ethylene gas followed by natural yellowing of the
peel. The induction process is done by introducing
the ethylene gas into the ripening room at a concentration of 1,000 parts per million (ppm).
This concentration is sufficient to induce the
yellowing process. During the induction process
the room temperature is set at 15oC with relative
humidity between 85 and 90%. The fruit is exposed
to the gas for 36 hours to provide sufficient time for
the induction process to take place.
After 36 hours the gas flow is terminated and the
ripening room door is opened to expose the fruit to
oxygen supply from the air. The fruit will undergo
the yellowing process naturally and turn yellow
within 3-4 days.

Quality control
To obtain the attractive yellow colour of the peel
several factors have to be considered during the
induction process.

The temperature and relative humidity of the

ripening room must be tightly controlled at
15 oC and 85-90% respectively.
The Honey Mandarin oranges must be fully
matured, preferably harvested 9 months after
flowering.
The ethylene gas concentration should be
controlled so as not to exceed the limit of
1,000 ppm, the optimum level for induction of
citrus. The use of ethylene gas that exceeds
this limit is not recommended because it
will have no effect on the rate of yellowing
of the oranges and it will only increase the
cost. Addition of very high concentration of
ethylene gas will also accelerate the process
of senescence and susceptibility to disease
infections.

Equipment used
Specific equipment is required to carry out the
yellowing process. This equipment can also be
used for yellowing or ripening of other fruits. The
equipment includes a ripening room measuring
3m (length) x 3m (width) x 2m (high) in which the
temperature and relative humidity can be controlled
at 15-25oC and 80-95% respectively.
A gas tank which can accommodate 98%
pure ethylene gas is also required along with a
pressure valve and copper piping (2 cm diameter)
to facilitate the gas flow. A flow meter is required
to control the gas flow rate and a solenoid valve to
automatically terminate the gas flow in the event
of electricity interruption.To get fresh air supply
into the ripening room a centrifugal fan needs to
be installed.
The cost of a ripening room measuring 3m x
3m x 2m equipped with facilities mentioned above
is estimated at RM30,000. The cost is relatively
high to be financed by a single farmer or citrus
entrepreneur.
To overcome this problem, the ripening room
can be built in clusters (10-20 farmers) in areas
where the citrus fruit is grown. To further reduce
the burden of the farmers, this room can also be
constructed by authorities such as the Department
of Agriculture or FAMA and its use is leased to
farmers with reasonable rates.

10

Apr 2015

SUCCESS STORY

MAHA Agrotourism:
The Lamans @ MAHA 2014
By: Khairul Fithri Abdul Rashid, Badrulhadza
Amzah and Mohd Faizuin Abdul Hamid,
Strategic Planning and Innovation Management
Division, MARDI

he
M a l aysi a
A g ricu lt u re,
Hor ticu lture and Ag rotourism
Show
2 014
(MAHA
2 014 )
successfully showcased 8 special gardens
or lamans to visitors as a potential
agrotourism product. These gardens,
located in the MAHA campus, highlighted
the latest ag ricultural technologies,
agro-food and agro-based products and
services.
The 8 gardens include Laman Padi
( Paddy Ga rden), Laman Perikanan
(Fisheries Garden), Laman Ternakan
( Livestock Garden), Laman Jentera
(Machineries Garden), Laman Florikultur
(Floriculture Garden), Laman Nanas
( Pi ne apple Ga rden) , L am an S ayur
(Vegetables Garden) and Laman Herba
(Herbs Garden).
In Laman Padi, visitors learned about
our local rice industry, rice cultivation
history, new rice varieties, management
of rice pests and diseases, as well as
several technologies and products related
to rice.
This laman also showcased paddy
fields planted with the latest MARDI rice
varieties, namely, MR278, MRQ76 and
MRIA1.
Visitors also had the opportunity to
sample unique and popular rice delicacies
such as laksa, laksam, nasi kerabu, nasi
dagang and pulut ikan pekasam which
can be bought at the caf.
Recreational activities organised at
Laman Padi include paddy field soccer,
tug-of-war, kites f lying, spinning tops and
pony rides. Programmes at Laman Padi
was co-organised by several agencies
such as MOA, MARDI, MADA, KADA,
BERNAS and DOA.
T he m ai n at t rac tion i n L am an
Perik an an wa s pr e s er ve d aqu at ic
creatures such as dolphin, dugong and
sea turtle as well as several types of fish
with a whale skeleton taking centrestage
in the exhibition area.
G enera l ly t his ga rden provided
information related to the local fisheries
industry as well as the governments
initiatives in helping the industry to
increase and sustain production.
There were 18 activities organised for
visitors including exhibition, promotion,
sale of products as well as fishing and
aquarium decoration contests.
In Laman Ternakan, visitors could
make themselves fami liar with the
l ive sto ck i ndu st r y e sp e ci a l ly t he
ruminants, dairy and swiftlet industry.
Livestock products and equipment as well
as the animals themselves were also on
sale.
This garden also featured a petting
zoo which proved to be very popular with
young visitors. They were allowed to pet
and play with the animals such as rabbits,
sheep, goats and ponies.
Food products were also sold from 38
food stalls featuring 184 livestock-based
delicacies. The most popular dishes were
fresh milk, chicken chop, grilled lamb
and beef burger.
Va r iou s t y p e s o f a g r ic u lt u r a l
machineries from fruit cutter to combine
harvesters were exhibited at Laman
Jentera. The most significant agricultural
machinery shown during MAHA 2014
was t he precision fa r mi ng system,

which highlighted the unmanned aerial

vehicle (UAV), a light aircraft capable of
mapping the field condition for precision
application of fertilizers.
Demonst rations on operation of
various machineries were also conducted
including the tractor, backhoe, combine
harvester and various food processing
machines such as the lemang cooking
machine, kuih ros making machine, karas
making machine and others.
The Laman Florikultur presented a
recycling concept. The Taman Buah dan
Tumbuhan Terbesar was built using
only recycled material. The garden was
beautifully designed and planted with
colourful f lowering plants to give visitors
the feeling of relaxation. Overall, there
were 24 exhibitions and demonstration
programmes as well as 14 visitor friendly
competitions such as fr uit tasting,
colouring contest and fruits, vegetables
and ornamental arrangement contests to
entertain the visitors.
The main focus of Laman Nanas
was to promote the pineapple industry
in Ma laysia. The exhibits included
the history of the pineapple industry,
products that can be developed from
pi ne apple s a nd t he s a le of f re sh
pineapples and pineapple-based products.
Ideas a nd oppor t u nities were a lso
presented to attract potential entrepreneurs to be involved in the pineapple
industry. The garden was also planted
with various varieties of pineapples
developed by MARDI such as Josapine
and Maspine.
This garden showcased 12 activities
i ncludi ng
demonst rations
and
competitions related to pineapple-based
products. Two MasterChef Malaysia
celebrities, Syura and A ngah, were
invited to promote pineapple -based
recipes.
Urban Agriculture was the theme
for Laman Sayur @ MAHA 2014. Various
technologies related to urban farming
in limited spaces were promoted. These
included rooftop farming, the use of
self-watering containers such as Fertikit
and Urbankit and the development of
Community Garden and Edible Garden
for growing vegetables and fruits in
communities and around the house in
urban areas.
The concept for Laman Herba was
a one - stop cent re which combi ned
relaxation, retreat and learning factors
into its exhibits. The area itself was
desig ned by merging aesthetic and
interactive qualities to make visitors feel
comfortable during their visit.
There are 150 tropical and temperate
herbs and medicinal plants planted
in the garden. Nineteen of the plants
are regarded as most sig nificant by
the local herbal community including
pegaga, mas cotek, kaduk, dukung anak,
misai kucing, senduduk, tongkat ali,
lempoyang, gelenggang, sambung nyawa,
hempedu bumi, peria katak, roselle, halia,
mengkudu, sireh, belalai gajah, kacip
fatimah and merunggai/kelor.
All of the gardens played a major
role in making MAHA 2014 a successful
agrotourism event. The organisers of
MAHA made these gardens as permanent
exhibition places but the inputs will be
always dynamic. These gardens will
be open all year round to visitors for
agrotourism. As technologies continue
to evolve, the Lamans @ MAHA will
conti nue to provide su f f icient a nd
updated knowledge to its visitors.

Apr 2015

11

SUCCESS STORY

Kenyir Tropical Garden: A New

Tourist Destination In Terengganu
By: Dr. Rosliza Jajuli
Strategic Resources Research Centre, MARDI

ake Kenyir which is located in Hulu

Terengganu, is the largest man-made lake
in Southeast Asia, covering approximately
200,000 hectares. It was developed as a hydroelectric station for the state of Terengganu and the
surrounding areas. Since then, Lake Kenyir has
become a favourite destination for anglers keen
to catch high value fish species. In 2008, the first
initiative undertaken by the Terengganu state
government with KETENGAH was to develop the
Kenyir Tropical Garden as a tourism product to
attract more visitors to Lake Kenyir.
The Kenyir Tropical Garden consists of two
islands, Pulau Tekak Besar and Pulau Sungai
Tekak, which covers an area of 10 hectares. The joint
venture project between MARDI and KETENGAH,
funded by Terengganu state, is a new icon for visitors
to Lake Kenyir.
The main objective of Kenyir Tropical Garden
is to develop ecotourism and ecoeducation products
based on rare and endangered exotic fruits species.
The park is also intended to serve as a centre
of excellence for research and conservation of
biological diversity resources specific to the
environment of Lake Kenyir.
F ur ther more, research and development

activities related to biodiversity are being conducted

to ensure the f lora and fauna and the environment
of Lake Kenyir are well preserved for future
generations.
Basically, the activities in the Kenyir Tropical
Garden can be divided into three categories. Firstly,
tourism and recreation, where visitors can have
picnics and enjoy the taste of tropical fruits and the
beauty of Lake Kenyir. Other recreational activities
available include Kenyir Island Hopping where
visitors can land on several themed islands such as
Herb Island, Bird Island, Kelah Sanctuary, Orchid
Island and Butterf ly Island.
The second activity is ecoeducation, which
involves the introduction of tropical and rare fruits
through the experience of planting and harvesting.
In Kenyir Tropical Garden, visitors can see 47
species of trees, 17 species of herbal plants, 13 species
of ornamental plants and nine rare fruit species
which grow naturally on the island.
Rare wild fruits native to the islands are
Setambun (Baccaurea parviflora), Kandis gajah
(Garcinia nervosa), Manggis beruang (Garcinia
griffithii), Berangan (Castanopsis inermis), Perah
(Elateriospermum tapos), Rengas (Gluta sp.), Petai
(Parkia speciosa), Pauh kijang (Irvingia malayana)
and Kulim (Scorodocarpus borneensis).
The third activity is related to research and
development where the emphasis is on conservation
of agrobiodiversity, plant breeding and increasing

the number of new species conserved on the island.

The addition of several rare and exotic fruit
species to the existing line-up increases the diversity
of species existing at Kenyir Tropical Garden and
also serves as an ex situ conservation site of local
rare fruits which are nearly extinct. To date, more
than 1500 seasonal and non-seasonal fruit trees from
117 species have been planted.
The maintenance of planted trees in the Kenyir
Tropical Garden uses biological farming techniques
to safeguard the natural environment and the
equilibrium of the ecosystem. Further information
regarding the development and research conducted
in this park can be found on the website at http://
www.mytropikakenyir.com/ or from the recently
launched coffee table book entitled Taman Tropika
Kenyir: The Splendour of Our Natural Heritage.
The book was launched by Dato Haji Ahmad
Razif Abd Rahman, Chief Minister of Terengganu
during MAHA 2014. It contains six chapters which
describes the uniqueness of Kenyir Tropical Garden
as a new tourist attraction in Lake Kenyir.
The book is a manifestation of the successful
collaboration between M A R DI, K ETENGA H
and Terengganu state government in developing
agro-based attractions in Lake Kenyir, Terengganu.
Those interested to buy the book can contact
03-89437311 or email: mykenyir@ gmail.com/
radzali@mardi.gov.my

12

Apr 2015

EVENTS

Launching MARDIs Technologies

at MAHA 2014

By: Fazlinda Fadzil,

Corporate Communication,
International & Quality Division, MARDI

MAEPS AGROTOURISM PARK

20 November 2014

Agrotourism is considered a very important sector

of the travel industry and has huge potentials if properly
developed.
It is considered a key value-adding activity and can
contribute positively to the national economy and the
development of the agricultural industry.
Apart from being the iconic venue for MAHA, the
Malaysian Agrotechnology Exposition Park Serdang
(MAEPS) will become an agrotourism park called
MAEPS Agrotourism Park .

Did You Know?

MAEPS Agrotourism Park covers 130 hectares and has
several key components such as five exhibition buildings, eight
agricultural showgrounds that can feature technologies for the
production and processing of key commodities.
It also has 13 state pavillions that highlight unique architectural features of each state, a large open park that has
lakes, jogging tracks, campsite, food and beverage areas,
equin activity space, spa and a Ministry of Agriculture and
Agro-Based Industry pavillion that exhibits its policies and
programmes.

BOOKS AND TECHNOLOGY

MANUALS
20 November 2014

Books are still relevant as a method of sharing and

distributing knowledge and information and continue to
be popular with readers, even in this age of the internet
and social media.
MARDI continues to publish educational books to
share the latest developments and discoveries with the
public.

Menabur Bakti: Jejak Peristiwa R&D Ternakan

is a book that tracks the history of the Strategic Livestock
Research Centre and highlights all their research
activities and transfer of technologies that has taken
place since its establishment 43 years ago.
Perosak, Penyakit dan Rumpai Padi di
Malaysia is a pocket book that contains all key, simple
to understand and practical information on all pests,
diseases and weeds that affect rice farming in Malaysia.
Those keen to learn everything there is to know about
dragon fruit cultivation can read Manual Teknologi
Penanaman Buah Naga that is designed to guide
potential entrepreneurs who want to start small scale
or even commercial dragon fruit farms.
Meanwhile, Buku Tanaman Hiasan Dalam
Landskap: Heliconia dan Halia is everything you
need to know about planting these popular ornamental
landscape and decorative plants.

Did You Know?

Salmonella poisoning has become endemic in Malaysia
with contamination taking place even in school canteens,
causing death.
Salmonella contamination is not limited to chicken meat. It
also affects fruits, vegetables, red meats, eggs, dairy products,
cakes, chocolate and kitchen utensils which have not been
properly cleaned and sanitised.

MARDI-PRIVATE SECTOR
COOPERATION
26 November 2014

Did You Know?

MARDI continues to develop strong and enduring

working relationships with the private sector in
the agricultural and agro-based sector to ensure its
continued and sustained development.
Eight agreements were exchanged between MARDI
and the private sector and also the Agriculture Ministry
of Ondo State, Nigeria which sealed the deals in research
and commercialisation technologies.

Heliconia is not native to Malaysia but it has long been

popular. The ginger plant is native to Malaysia and the regions
from the Malay archipelago to South Asia. The term ginger
includes all plants with rhizomes.

YOUNG COCONUT SHAPING AND

ROTI JALA MAKING MACHINES

SALMONELLA DETECTION KIT

23 November 2014

Food poisoning cases involving Salmonella is an

important food safety issue and it is common not just in
Malaysia but all over the world.
This spurred MARDI researchers to develop an
innovative MicroTEZTM Salmonella testing kit that can
quickly detect the presence of this pathogen in foods.
The technology is affordable and user friendly. Tests
can be easily carried out quickly and this is attracting a
lot of interest from local and international stakeholders.

27 November 2014

Technology and automation is very important in food

processing industry to ensure that they continue to be
competitive and sustainable.
Machines that can shape young coconuts for
presentation and sale and make roti jala are innovations
that can help expand the small and medium sized
businesses and increase their income.

Did You Know?

The coconut shaping machine can peel and shape 120
coconuts per hour while the roti jala making machine can make
120 pieces of roti jala in an hour.

From page 2

Malaysia And FAO Strengthen Partnership

In the continuum of the process, two
workshops were organised by MOA and
hosted by MARDI in Serdang on 18 and 19
March 2015. The first workshop focused
on Strengthening Malaysia FAO
Partnership and the second workshop
launched the Country Programming
Framework or CPF consultation process.
These two workshops represent an
extremely important step in the process
of strengthening the partnership between
Malaysia and FAO.
In the first workshop, Dato Dr.
Sharif Haron, Director General of
MARDI, delivered the opening address.
After that, FAO made two presentations, a brief introduction to FAO and
the New Concept of FAO Partnership
and Liaison Office. This was followed
by a presentation by Arya Aziz,
South-South Cooperation Officer from
the FAO Regional Office for Asia and
the Pacific. A number of Government
officials also made presentations on their
work experience with FAO which were
extremely interesting and described a
very positive and productive collabora-

tion between Malaysia and FAO. The last

presentation of the day was made by the
Principal Assistant Secretary, Nasrul
Haqiim. He briefly introduced the 33rd
FAO Asia-Pacific Regional Conference
which will be held in Malaysia next
year. He provided an overview of the
preparatory work being conducted by
Malaysia.
During the second workshop, Sumiter
Broca, Senior Policy Officer from FAO
Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific,
introduced the concept of CPF. This was
followed by a brainstorming session
moderated by the Principal Assistant
Secretary, Nasrul Haqiim and Wan
Zakaria, Undersecretary of MOA. All
participants provided many useful
elements which are now being analysed
in more detail in the preparation of CPF.
It is expected that such a partnership
will significantly benefit both FAO and
Malaysia, in sharing expertise and
technical knowledge. In particular,
Malaysia could leverage from this
partnership to elevate its visibility
and status as a sustainable food and

agriculture producer, also in areas such

as conservation and sustainable forest
management, as these are some of the
main components of FAOs mandate.
Malaysia could also assume a leading role
through mutual sharing and exchange
of development expertise, including
knowledge, experience and good
practices, policies as well as technologies
and resources both between and among
countries in the global South, through
South-South Cooperation in order to
overcome extreme poverty and hunger.
The FAO already knew about the
interest and commitment towards
strengthening the Malaysia-FAO
partnership as expressed by senior
Government officials both in Malaysia
and in Rome when they came to visit FAO.
The FAO was very positively impressed
by the high level of interest and
involvement that the participants in the
two recent workshops have demonstrated.
This bodes extremely well for the future
and the FAO is confident about the new
partnership with the Government of
Malaysia.