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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