For The Love Of Nature

Wednesday, April 30, 2008
By: Meera Murugesan

Yahqappu says organic farming is the way of the future, while Lee wants to create awareness on the benefits of organic farming.

For a farmer to toil the land is understandable but what made an architect and restaurateur become organic farmers? MEERA MURUGESAN finds out.

Ng: The first few years were very difficult.

GOING green may involve simple lifestyle changes for most of us, but for three men, it meant changing life as they knew it Chee Yee, Lee Ong Sing and Yahqappu Adaikkalam are three average Malaysian men with a strong commitment to protecting the environment. When they decided to try their hand at organic farming, they were prepared for some challenges, but soon realised just how difficult it was to walk the road less trodden.Family members thought they were out of their minds. The challenges of farming organically and seeking a market for their produce also made them want to give up many times.Despite predictions of failure and the lack of support from those closest to them, they proved that there can be success in working with Nature and moving at her pace.

The three men were speakers at a talk on organic farming last week, organised in conjunction with the Justlife Earth Day Carnival at Ikano Power Centre in Mutiara Damansara. When Ng first went into organic farming 11 years ago, awareness on the benefits of organically-grown food was still low. “When I brought my produce to the market, customers used to scold me because there were holes in the vegetables. They assumed the vegetables were of poor quality,” said Ng. A draughtsman by training, Ng, faced stiff opposition from his family members when he voiced his intention to become an organic farmer. His other siblings were all professionals and his family members didn’t see any justification for Ng to leave his office job and toil the land, more so in organic farming which they felt would not yield profits. But Ng’s love for nature made him throw everything he had into starting his 4.4-hectare farm on the outskirts of Klang. The first four years were highly challenging and he suffered heavy losses. He also faced problems with workers and even thieves targeting his farm. But 11 years down the road, things are taking a turn for the better and today, he grows 22 varieties of fruits and vegetables.“But the market for organic produce is still limited. My customers are mainly those from middle class and upper middle class families or those who are health-conscious.” The fact that organic vegetables cost more is always an issue with consumers, said Yahqappu. Few people realise that they are paying for products packed with value and farmed through labour intensive methods. There are no short-cuts in organic farming because Nature and the way she works is respected, he added. Organic vegetables also have more minerals in them. That’s one of the reasons why they require less salt or seasoning during cooking to bring out their taste compared to conventionally farmed produce. The vegetables are also less fibrous and have a natural sweetness to them.

“People must realise it’s similar to paying for a work of art. There is more love, care and concern put into these products. We don’t simply mass produce to keep prices down,” said Yahqappu.When Yahqappu started working on his 0.6-hectare farm in Batu Arang, Selangor, four years ago, he, like Ng, faced opposition from family members. Given that his previous job involved running a restaurant and he had no experience in agriculture, his family members thought he was making the worst decision of his life. “I crawled through the process, learning things as I went along but I also learned humility. Touching the soil and knowing that it’s Mother Earth who has my fate in her hands, was a humbling experience. It was also very fulfilling to do something that I believed in,” he said. Yahqappu believes that organic farming will soon become the norm given that people are now seeing the adverse effects brought about by the high use of pesticides and other chemicals through conventional farming. He said nature has been shortchanged nature for far too long and the problems are cropping up now, like the global food shortage.“Organic farming is the way of the future and prices of such vegetables will eventually be lower than conventionally farmed ones,” said Yahqappu.

Unlike Ng and Yahqappu, Lee comes from a family of farmers in Cameron Highlands, but even he faced opposition when he wanted to try organic farming.“My father and grandfather were both conventional farmers and they went bankrupt. When I said, “let me try organic farming’, family members called it a suicidal decision,” said Lee who has been in organic farming for 12 years.He was determined to venture into the field after tasting organic vegetables and becoming convinced that they were better for both the consumer and the environment. “Your stomach will never lie and that’s why besides running my farm, I also have a restaurant where customers can get a taste of organic vegetables.”But Lee knows it takes effort to convince the average Malaysian of the benefits of buying organic produce and supporting organic farmers. “While there are people who are willing to spend a few hundred ringgit on one dinner outing, they will balk at purchasing RM20 worth of organic vegetables,” he said. Given his commitment to promoting awareness on organic vegetables, Lee doesn’t just run his farm. He also organises visits for anyone who is interested in seeing how organic farms function and their benefits. “As for the long-term success of organic farming, creating awareness is crucial and I’m trying to do my part in achieving that.”

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