Agro Technology Park, MARDI Langkawi.

Took Airasia to Langkawi last week, it cost us $50 for 2 person, return, all in, and took the opportunity to visit MARDI Langkawi. It cost only $5 (Malaysian, show MyKad) for a guided tour with tropical fruit tasting.

Interesting highlight is the insect/ pest management and the 'slow releasing' fertilizer. By attracting the males insect with a sticky trap, the population shall dwindle. Fertilizer are pack into old packing bags and this create a 'slow release'.
The Secret of the Giant Star Fruit.

This is done with a camera trick with the photographer holding the star fruit closely to the camera to create a giant effect.
There is a fish pond, harvesting the water from Gunung Raya via gravity feed.

  Some water breakers are put on the water way to improve oxygen. The level of the pond can be controlled by the inlet and over flow outlet and divert back to the river. The water is so cool and clear.

Jack fruits and Dragon fruits.
We also took the opportunity to visit some Rubber trees plantation in Langkawi.

For older Rubber tress, they are practicing double tapping. Some tap on two areas and some tap twice a day, once early morning and another tap in the evening.

Was so happy to see these clones rubber trees that is being harvested at a young stage. Hopefully ours can start to harvest in 3 years' time.

Keningau, Sabah, Setting up farm.

Keningau is an interior town in Sabah, East Malaysia, named after a Javaness cinnamon tree. It used to be a timber town, but is now transferring to an agriculture town. It is a valley surronded by the croocker range to the west and the Trus Madi Range to the east and south side. The Trus Madi is the second highest peak in Malaysia, after the famous Mount Kinabalu.
Main reason that I've decided to set up farm here is due mainly to the land cost is much cheaper than in the cities. Second reason is that I have relatives and friends here that offer me tremendous help.
Access is also quite easy. With cheap airfare from Airasia offering from $16 one way and recently an additional Firefly offering from $28 one way, getting here from KL is cheap. Once in Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, getting to Keningau is simple, you have a choice of taxi, express bus, self drive or train ( long way). By road there is the old road via Tambunan or the new bypass via Kimanis, both offer scenic views. In fect getting to Keningau is already an adventure by itself.

Tamu of Keningau. Tamu is like a Sunday market. It's held twice weekly, Thursday and Sunday. It's interestin to see lots of people bringing up their produce for sale.

Looking forward to my next trip to Keningau, 10th March 2011.