SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTIVITY: Jabu (centre) officiating at the conference, witnessed by Dr Jamil (left) and Dr Sivaram.
KUCHING: Conservation and management of naturally occurring insect pollinators are important for sustaining agricultural productivity in the long run, says Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu.
He said that there were many threats besetting the pollinators which had put them in much trouble and stress.
“Efforts at both research and extension levels must therefore be continued to identify, assess and develop techniques and methodology to rear and manage them (insects) in order to enhance crop pollination,” he said.
According to him, the biggest threat to most pollinators was the destruction and fragmentation of their habitat due to human activities.
He was glad to note that such threat was being acknowledged, which had led to the establishment of special initiatives by the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1999.
Jabu, who is also Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture and Minister of Rural Development, said this at the opening of the inaugural International Conference of Conservation and Management of Pollinators (ICCMP2011) in Damai Beach Resort near here yesterday.
He said the value of these busy pollinators which included insects, birds, bats and animals was immeasurable “as over 90
per cent of all flowering plants and over three-quarters of staple food crops relied on them.
The organising chairman, Associate Professor Dr V Sivaram, said the conference would help to develop an agenda to ensure conservation of bees and other animal pollinators in the ecosystem for effective pollination process for plant reproduction and sustainable development.
“The emergence of serious and widespread diseases has made it clear that native pollinators need to be protected and sustainably managed,” he said.
Dr Sivaram stated that there is a need to conduct a study on the pollinator requirement for increase crop production in every country.
“The Century Foundation, India; Bangalore University and UiTM are hoping to work out R&D (research and development) programmes in pollinator conservation through the recently proposed Asia Pacific Institute for Biodiversity Research Centre in Sarawak,” he added.
Meanwhile, the rector of UiTM Sarawak, Professor Dr Jamil Hamali, said the establishment of Asia Pacific Institute for Biodiversity Research to be based at UiTM Sarawak, would provide the linkage among the international community of scientists and expertise through partnership and collaboration of research.