Singapore - It is a first for the Jambi Master Plan — and it may mean not only: curbing the threat of haze to the region during the dry season, but also a fresh source of seafood for Singapore from the Sumatran province.
Yesterday, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim announced two new programmes under the master plan, which will see Singapore involved in the management of fire-prone peatland and the development of alternative livelihoods for Jambi natives.
Both programmes will, for the first time, involve the private sector — Dutch firm Delft Hydraulics will conduct peat management training on the “ground, managerial and scientific levels” at Jambi, while Singapore Food Industries (SFI) will help raise aquaculture standards with the help of experts engaged by the company.
SFI will help Jambi‘s farmers improve the size and quality of their yields to meet Singapore‘s Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) import requirements, said Mr Roger Yeo, SFI‘s chief executive, when contacted by Today.
SFI imported 1,173 metric tonnes of seafood last year — just 0.7 per cent of Singapore‘s total consumption — so, “if the project goes well, it will allow SFI to trade competitively”, said Mr Yeo.
Both projects are expected to cost about $800,000 and should be ready for implementation by the year‘s end, said the National Environment Agency.
Dr Yaacob addressed reporters together with his Malaysian, Indonesian, Bruneian and Thai counterparts at the Pan Pacific Hotel after talks on transboundary haze pollution. The ministers praisedIndonesia‘s efforts in reducing the numberof hotspots by half since 2006 and agreed that continued vigilance was needed to prevent land and forest fires, which contribute to the region‘s haze each year.
Malaysia is also lending its expertise to Indonesia. It signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Indonesia‘s Riau government on June 3 to build capacity in zero-burning techniques, fire-fighting and the installation of an air-quality monitoring system. The programmes will begin next month.
Indonesia will also hold a simulation exercise in forest and land fire control in central Kalimantan next month, and will work with the local authorities in Riau province on peatland management.
Airplanes are also on standby to put out fires, said Ms Masnellyarti Hillman, Indonesia‘s Deputy Minister for Nature Conservation Enhancement and Environmental Degradation Control.
When asked to predict the haze situation this year — which typically surfaces during the dry months of May to October — Dr Yaacob said the various governments would “work very hard and hope for the best”.
“I wouldn‘t say that there will be no haze,” he said, but added that if all goes well, “the situation will be slightly better than what we had in 2006” — the last time our Pollutant Standards Index hit a high of 128, a level considered unhealthy. Neo Chai Chin
Source: http://www.todayonline.com (June 24, 2008)
