Ramaness speaking to farmers in Pendang. — Bernama
GURUN: Two farmers from Pendang are joining the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, from Nov 17 to 20.
Abdullah Mohamad, 58, and Keria Saad, 60, are set to be exposed to climate change issues and their impact on the agricultural sector.
Abdullah, who is also Pendang Selatan Area Farmers’ Organiation (PPK) chairman, said he hoped to gain new knowledge and learn about the latest innovations for reducing carbon emissions.
He said that currently, the Pendang Selatan PPK is working to supply rice straw to a biotechnology company which processes them into biodegradable products.
Workers at the biotechnology company making biodegradable products from rice straw.
“This initiative not only helps reduce carbon emissions but also provides additional income for farmers,” he said.
The initiative to bring Abdullah and Keria to the conference was facilitated by the biotechnology company, Bernama reported.
P. Ramaness, the company’s chief executive officer, said the conference is an essential platform for expanding the two farmers’ knowledge.
“I’ve been invited as a speaker at one of the conference events, and I requested to bring these farmers along.
“The conference will provide them with new insights on climate change, its effect on agriculture and ways to reduce carbon emissions, which they could then share with other farmers in the state,” he told reporters here yesterday.
Ramaness said farmers’ burning of rice straw is a major contributor to carbon emissions and needs to be controlled.
He added that since 2018, his company has purchased approximately 4,500 tonnes of rice straw to produce biodegradable products, successfully preventing 610,000kg of carbon dioxide emissions from entering the atmosphere.
“In Kedah alone, it is estimated that about 1,080,000 tonnes of rice straw are burned over two harvesting seasons.
“While we have managed to prevent up to eight percent of this from being burned, much more needs to be done,” he said.
