Answer for Oral Question PL163

QUESTION

Yang Berhormat Awang Lawi bin Haji Lamat

YANG BERHORMAT AWANG LAWI BIN HAJI LAMAT asks the MENTERI SUMBER-SUMBER UTAMA DAN PELANCONGAN to state the level of adaptation of the Regenerative Agriculture approach by the country's agricultural sector. What is the estimated timeframe for the return on investment identified for farmers and the Government based on the Ministry's assessment?

ANSWER

Yang Berhormat Menteri Sumber-Sumber Utama dan Pelancongan

Among the approaches of Regenerative Agriculture (RA) is the optimisation of crop yields through the natural restoration of soil fertility, by using compost produced from agricultural organic materials without compromising natural resources. It is one of the sustainable agricultural practices being introduced progressively in Negara Brunei Darussalam as part of efforts to strengthen the productivity of the agricultural sector over the long term.

At present, the level of adaptation of this approach remains at the early implementation stage, particularly through pilot research and farm demonstration projects implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood. Through these pilot projects, five crop growers and a Government-related company in the rice sector are implementing practices guided by the principles of Regenerative Agriculture.

This approach focuses on restoring soil health through increasing organic matter, reducing the use of chemical inputs and implementing more sustainable soil management, with the aim of improving soil resilience and farm productivity over the long term.

In strengthening research and development in this field, the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood is also collaborating with local higher education institutions such as Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) to conduct studies on the effectiveness of Regenerative Agriculture practices in the context of the soil and climatic conditions in the country. The Department of Agriculture and Agrifood is implementing a collaborative project to improve soil fertility and health.

To date, growers generally only use chemical fertilisers in Kawasan Kemajuan Pertanian (KKP) farms to control soil acidity levels, such as dolomite lime fertiliser. However, this fertiliser is only effective for a short period and needs to be imported from abroad. Chemical fertilisers also generally do not support the sustainability of soil fertility and health in strengthening the productivity of the agricultural sector over the long term.

Regarding the return on investment (return on investment – ROI), a comprehensive assessment is still being conducted, as the benefits of Regenerative Agriculture can generally be observed more clearly after several planting seasons, when soil fertility conditions begin to improve.

Based on the initial findings of the farm-level research pilot project, this approach has shown a positive minimum increase of 20% in productivity yields, together with an increase in soil fertility and crop health. Through this approach, the cost of using chemical inputs such as fertilisers and pesticides can be reduced, thereby saving expenditure costs for farmers and agricultural-sector companies in the country.

For the Government, this approach also provides long-term benefits through more sustainable management of land resources, reduced pressure on the environment and strengthened national food production security.

Accordingly, the Ministry will continue to assess the effectiveness of this approach through the pilot projects currently being implemented before expanding its use more broadly in the country's agricultural sector.