PASIR PUTEH: The RM4.4mil Bukit Kuang Dam improvement project, which began last month, is expected to benefit an additional 300ha of padi fields in Pasir Puteh.
Kemubu Agricultural Development Authority (Kada) chairman Khalid Abd Samad said the project involves maintenance works on water gates, river cleaning and embankment protection through the installation of steel piling along 320m across five main padi areas, benefiting 50 padi farmers.
He said the project, expected to be completed in November, is a high-impact Madani government initiative aimed at strengthening irrigation and drainage systems for padi areas under Kada’s irrigation scheme.
“The main focus of this project is to improve the supply of agricultural water as part of the government’s long-term effort to strengthen the nation’s food security agenda,” he said after launching the Bukit Kuang Dam project for the Selising irrigation scheme yesterday, reports Bernama.
Khalid said the facility would ensure a sufficient and consistent water supply throughout the planting season, particularly during dry periods, while also reducing the risk of excess water during heavy rain or floods that could damage crops and disrupt planting schedules.
He said the infrastructure upgrade project is the largest implemented in Pasir Puteh to date and is expected to boost the morale and prospects of farmers in the area.
He added that the project is also one of the key initiatives under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), involving infrastructure upgrades under the Kumpulan Pengguna Air Selising Satu, with a total value of RM23mil.
Meanwhile, he said padi productivity in Kada-managed areas increased last season, with yields reaching up to 10 metric tonnes per hectare.
“This increase was driven by various factors, including improvements to the irrigation system across districts in Kelantan, as well as the Kemubu 4 facility, which began operations this year.
“We hope this development will attract more young people to venture into agriculture, which has strong prospects for the future.”
He also said that Kada aimed to explore new cultivation areas to increase food production and position Kelantan as one of the country’s key contributors to the sector.
