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Fima CORPORATION Berhad
(197401004110) (21185-P) •
Annual Report 2020
52
Biological controls against pests
Beneficial plants such as Turnera Subulata, Antigonan Leptopus
and Cassia Cobanensis are cultivated to lure leaf insect predators.
These predators feed on leaf pest larvae, thus reducing the usage
of pesticides. The use of barn owls in our estates helps to control
the population of rodents, and the placement of pheromone traps
to catch Rhinoceros beetles is one of the strategies implemented
and has proven to be effective.
Managing Human-Elephant Conflicts
Several of our estates have encountered incidences of elephant
encroachment into their areas culminating in crops and property
damage. In this regard, we are continuously looking at ways to find
solutions which include monitoring elephant movements, restoring
wildlife corridor and building up trenches to minimise further
incidences of crop-raiding and damage to the extent possible while
at the same time preserving the elephants’ natural habitat.
Environmental Assessment
During the year, we have successfully fulfilled the relevant
environment impact assessment criteria and obtained the
permissions and approvals necessary to commence development
at our greenfield estate in Sg. Siput, Perak measuring 2,000
hectares. Implicit in these approvals is the requirement to abide
by riparian buffer zones, water catchment and forest conservation
areas.
Mechanisation of Field Operations
The Group has taken actions to increase the level of
mechanisation within our oil palm plantation operations,
particularly for in-field collection and application of fertiliser. As
part of our estate planning process, infrastructure at all our new
developments are designed to facilitate in-field mechanisation.
Mechanisation improves efficiency and worker safety. It also
reduces cost and dependency on manual labour.
During the year, Cendana Laksana Sdn Bhd together with
8 other estates from 3 nearby localities, had facilitated the
establishment of an Elephant Conflict Task Force.
The main objective of the Task Force is to find workable
solutions to mitigate the economic impact of crop loss
to elephants whilst maintaining the biodiversity of
the ecosystems they inhabit. These include, inter alia,
understanding the local ecology, monitoring and recording
the movement pattern of elephants in the affected areas
and co-ordination of other activities by and amongst the
task force members.
“Managing the human-elephant conflict is as much about
protecting our estates from crop-raiding elephants as it
is about reducing our footprint on the elephant’s habitats
and corridors. We have these taken into account through
inter alia, our land use planning, improving their habitats
to increase their natural feed availability (by planting crops
that elephants like e.g. bananas) which in turn can keep
them away from encroaching on human areas. I believe that
these measures can allow both to peacefully co-exist.”
Mohd Rashidi Mohd Yazid
Estate Manager, Ladang Cendana
Addressing the elephant
in the room
sustainability : environment