JOHOR BARU: Losing his right leg to an infection last year has not stopped K. Murugan from pursuing his passion for agriculture and supporting his family.
The 51-year-old had his leg amputated up to the knee after suffering from a severe bacterial infection. Despite this, he refused to let his disability define him.
Instead, the father of two turned his focus to farming, carving out a new life in aquaponics and food waste management.
Murugan said that his determination to carry on was driven by his responsibility to provide for his family and his deep interest in agriculture.
“Being a person with disabilities (OKU) is not an excuse to sit back and do nothing.
“I want to prove that I can still contribute and be productive,” he said in an interview.
He is now active in aquaponics farming and has also come up with his own innovation – food waste barrels – to grow vegetables and fruits more sustainably.
Murugan, who moves around with crutches, spends up to five hours a day tending to his plants.
While he admits it is exhausting, he said the effort is worthwhile.
His wife A. Kogilavani, 41, has been his pillar of strength.
“She has been with me through thick and thin and has always encouraged me to keep going,” he said.
Before venturing into farming, Murugan worked as an excavator driver for three decades.
His passion for agriculture was sparked after watching YouTube videos on aquaponics.
“Standing for long hours with crutches is tough but I have no choice,” he said.
He added that he was recommended to use a hydraulic prosthetic leg, but the cost was about RM20,000, far beyond his means.
Despite the challenges, he has made significant strides, including receiving the Iskandar Puteri Low Carbon 3.0 grant from the Iskandar Puteri City Council for his food waste barrel project.
He also been recognised with more than 10 awards in agriculture, including a gold medal at the Johor Agriculture Department’s Innovation Award in 2019.
“I want to show that nothing is impossible as long as we put in the effort.
“At the same time, I want more people to be involved in agriculture so that we can play our part in tackling food security issues.”
