KUCHING: The Plant Biosecurity and Quarantine Division, Department of Agriculture Sarawak organised the Seminar ‘Strengthening Coconut Farming – From Importation to Farm Management’ as a strategic platform to improve participants' understanding and skills in the aspects of comprehensive coconut crop management.

According to a statement, the seminar covered the process of importing plant materials, Plant Material Verification Scheme certification requirements, agronomic practices as well as pest and disease issues in coconut crop management.

“The programme was officiated by Director of the Department of Agriculture Sarawak, Dominic Chunggat.

“The programme, which was developed as a result of the implementation of the Sarawak Host-Pest Information Development Project (World Trade Organisation and Agreement on the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures), aims to strengthen the plant biosecurity system to reduce the risk of the entry and spread of foreign pests and ensure the sustainability of agriculture in Sarawak, especially in crops that are the main focus in Sarawak such as coconut crops,” it said on Tuesday.

The statement added that the objective of the seminar is to provide exposure regarding policies and procedures for importing coconut planting materials, increase participants' knowledge on agronomic practices, pest threats, diseases and integrated control measures and the importance of using quality planting materials, as well as to open up space for strategic cooperation between importers, exporters, researchers, entrepreneurs and related agencies.

A total of 157 participants consisting of importers, exporters of coconut planting materials, entrepreneurs, coconut growers, entrepreneurs, manufacturers of coconut-based products, researchers on crops, pests, coconut diseases, local higher education institutions, agricultural officers and related agencies attended the programme. -UKASnews