2015 Reflection: Mission to Mars!

I would like all of us, the peasant out there to reflect upon what we have or have not done, individually as well as organisation collectively in 2015.  This process of reflection is good as it will give us a sense of purpose in life and in what we do.  It will also give us a sense of fulfillment or satisfaction.  It will also help give us some pointers as to what we need to do next, especially in 2016 and hopefully also help us on how to do it. 

Effectively, it will help set new agendas, targets, objectives or even your individual New Year resolutions. This is about measuring performance as well as planning - two key processes in management that focus on excellence. 

This will also help us in managing change, in ourselves as well as in our organizations. Change is not easy and will continue to be a challenge for us. Though if we are aspire to be a the best agro-entrepreneur, change is absolutely crucial.

I hope that my story  will motivate and inspire you and subsequently help you to inspire others in pursuing our personal goals as well as your organisational goals.  I will be very pleased and even more so proud, if you could share with me some of these goals and more importantly how you intend to achieve them.

It will help me to have a feel of those of you, especially those that think they are within control so that, I will be able to do my part in achieving those goals, that will benefit the rakyat.  I urge and welcome ideas and I initiatives that you think will be good or beneficial for the Ministry of Agriculture even the Nation.

Don't worry about whether the idea is good or bad. Thinking about it, and having the passion to share it with others is already a good start and setting the right mood/environment for the new year.

Any contribution, may they be crucial or slight, all input, perspectives, opinions and feedback are welcome and very much so appreciated. 

As for me, I am still working at my very best to help the country in my filed. I am my own reflection.

Happy New Year

Ayah dan Projek Tebu 2.0

This entry is dedicated to the man who inspires us to keep on going. Ayah, 72 years with great experience in his life, the man we always respect and love.

He work hard. He have been working as coolie in construction site in PJ and Puchong during his teen days. He lives in many places and married to my mom in 1972. He joined Felda Pasoh 2 in 1976.  He choose to be Felda Settler although he was supposed to be a teacher in 60′s but for some reasons he decided to look for adventure in his life. Ayah is good in maths!

Being a Felda settler is the best choice the government can offer those days. As the country is trying its very hard to eradicate poverty, the Felda program offers its settler a house, piece of land to work and a dream of hope. 

I understand his predicament working days and night to feed 6 of us in the family.  Lucky me, I am the youngest and live in the best time of it. Apparently, the hardship we went together was made the best of us. My family were manage to become rich survive and live happily. 

In June 2014, ayah told me to balik kampung and took over 10 acre palm oil farm from Felda. Thats mean we will do it on our own. Before this, Felda manage the farm and ayah only do nothing and gets his cut every month. Besides that ayah has another 5 acre of palm oil farm that he works on since 6 years ago. It is not difficult to be a young farmer managing the farm, I think, so I decided to stay with him.

My family and I start the  Projek Tebu 2.0 in early October 2014. The location of our farm is just 2 minutes away from our house. For the record, ayah started the Projek Tebu 1.0 in 2007 - 2009. The project was abandon due to economic crisis in 2008. The price of fertilizer went up more than 100% and he decided to let the farm just the way it was. Moreover, he is no longer had a strength to work anymore. Anyway, he manage to secure some profit out of it.

When the project kicked off, ayah in his deteriorating health condition came over to oversee the project.  He advice me and taught me how to do the right thing in the first place. Mom also helping. Mom had number of years experience working in sugar cane farm. 

As the project goes, ayah is struggling to fight for his life.  His health condition is getting poorer by early December 2014. I left the project more than 3 weeks to take care ayah in hospital.

It was very difficult time for my family as his health is not improving. Ayah passed away in late December 2014 :(

This Projek Tebu 2.0 is very special to me and the rest of my family. I can feel ayah is with me in this farm… all the time.

I miss you ayah and I will prove to you that this project will make our family proud. I am proud of your legacy and I am proud to be farmer like you.

Al-Fatihah

Projek Tebu 2.0

15 Oct 2014 - Kerja-kerja pembersihan dimulakan di kawasan tanah terbiar. Keluasan kawasan lebih kurang 3 ekar (Fasa 1). Kami menyewa jentera dengan kos sewa sehari RM 480. Kerja-kerja pembersihan mengambil masa 4 hari.

Sebagai makluman, kawasan tanaman telah diusahakan oleh arwah ayah pada tahun 2007 - 2009 dengan tanaman tebu.  Projek tebu tidak disambung kerana kos pembelian baja naik akibat kejatuhan ekonomi pada tahun 2008. Tambahan ayah sudah mengjangkau usia. Petani dan abang-abang yang lain pula di perantauan.

Petani telah mendapat kebenaran dari pengurusan Felda Pasoh 2 untuk mengusahakan tanah tersebut. Beliau memberi galakan dan sokongan kepada Petani untuk menjayakan projek ini agar menjadi contoh kepada belia-belia di kampung ini.

   Kerja-kerja pembersihan mengambil masa lebih kurang 7 hari. Kami sekeluarga bersama mak dan abang    membantu membersihkan ladang. Kerja yang memenatkan dan menjerihkan. Panas dan peluh hapak,          bukan senang. 

Kalau google, banyak blog yang kemut ilmu, petani cuba explain secara bergambar. Kalau sesiapa yang berminat petani boleh bagi tunjukajar percuma je.

Selesai kerja pembersihan, backhoe mula mengorek lubang 1’x2’ dan >1’ dalam. Dalam fasa pertama, sebanyak lebih kurang 2800 lubang digali.

Petani mendapatkan bekalan benih dengan membeli benih di ladang-ladang tebu di sekitar daerah Jempul dan Jelebu. Petani mendapati terdapat pengusaha ladang tebu yang diusahakan oleh warga Indonesia yang telah bermastautin di daerah ini.  Bayangkan kegigihan mereka mencari rezeki di sini. Banyak tanah terbiar yang telah diteroka untuk penanaman tebu. Belia kita?

Harga benih tebu telor sekitar 30 -50 sen sepotong. Oleh kerana bekalan benih sukar didapati, petani terpaksa menjelajah ke pelosok kampong dan berjaya mendapatkan benih secara pukal.

Benih tebu dikerat antara 4-5 ruas dan direndam ke dalam air yang telah dicampurkan dengan racun serangga. Seterusnya tabur satu sudu racun furadan ke dalam lubang.  Racun tersebut bertujuan mengelakan jangkitan kepada benih tebu.

Pastikan tunas tebu diletakkan ke atas dan kambus dengan sedikit tanah.

Dah timbus… tunggu, tunggu, tungguuuuu entry lepas ni pulak