GURUN: Two farmers from Pendang are set to enhance their understanding of climate change, particularly the importance of reducing carbon emissions, as they head to the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan from Nov 17 to 20.
The initiative to bring Abdullah Mohamad, 58, and Keria Saad, 60, to the conference was facilitated by biotechnology company Free The Seed Sdn Bhd, which includes full sponsorship of their travel and accommodation.
Free The Seed chief executive officer P. Ramaness said the conference is an essential platform for exposing the two farmers to climate change issues and its impact on the agricultural sector.
“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 the farmers 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 today.
Ramaness said farmers’ burning of rice straw is a major contributor to carbon emissions and needs to be controlled.
He added that since 2018, Free The Seed has purchased approximately 4,500 tonnes of rice straw to produce biodegradable products, successfully preventing 610,000 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide emissions from entering the atmosphere.
“In Kedah alone, it is estimated that about 1,080,000 tonnes of rice straw is burned during two harvesting seasons. While we have managed to prevent up to eight per cent of this from being burned, much more needs to be done,” he said.
Meanwhile, Abdullah, who is also Pendang Selatan Area Farmers’ Organisation (PPK) chairman, said he hoped to gain new knowledge and learn about the latest innovations for reducing carbon emissions.
“Currently, the Pendang Selatan PPK is working with Free The Seed to supply rice straw, which the company processes into biodegradable products.
“This initiative not only helps reduce carbon emissions but also provides additional income for farmers,” he said.
