Reaping the fruits of her labour
Leaving the safe confines of a stable job in the finance industry, Elizabeth Lee tells DR MAHALETCHUMY ARUJANAN she found her Eldorado – growing pineapples in Pahang. IN THE TURBULENT TIMES of the COVID-19 crisis, where job opportunities were scarce and uncertainty loomed, one spirited graduate embarked on a journey that defied conventions – paving the way […]
Siblings with prestigious British degrees defy convention, roll up their sleeves to work in shrimp ponds
THE oppressive heat of a Friday in Tanjong Karang clashed with an ominous sky-threatening rainfall. Nestled nearly two hours away from Kuala Lumpur, in a coastal rural setting, the air reverberated with the steady hum of motors tirelessly aerating shrimp ponds. Amidst this backdrop, Melissa Saw emerged from her uniquely repurposed container, now transformed into an […]
Scientists Develop Gene-edited Chickens to Limit Spread of Bird Flu
SCIENTISTS from the University of Edinburgh, Imperial College London, and the Pirbright Institute used gene editing techniques to identify and change parts of chicken DNA that could limit the spread of the bird flu virus in the animals. Using gene editing techniques, the team of scientists bred the chickens and altered the section of DNA responsible for producing the […]
Cell AgriTech, leading universities join hands to shape future of cultivated meat
PUTRAJAYA: In a momentous event, Cell AgriTech, the pioneering cultivated meat company, has joined forces with leading academic institutions, including Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), International Medical University (IMU), and Taylor’s University, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that mark a significant leap towards reshaping the landscape of biotechnology and food […]
Leap into alternative proteins
BY JOTISRI VASUDEVAN JOHOR BARU: The Malaysian Biotechnology Information Centre (MABIC), teamed up with Medhini Group – a leading consulting firm that specialises in building facilities and plants for the high-tech industry to host a one-day “Forum on Alternative Proteins for Food and Feed”, hosted in Johor Baru recently. Bringing together a diverse assembly of industry […]
Changes in Food Consumption Patterns – Trends, drivers, and opportunities
BY DATUK PROF M NASIR SHAMSUDIN TRENDS in Malaysian food consumption are typical of those of developing economies, where structural changes in dietary habits can be categorised into the following stages: an initial increase in the consumption of traditional staple foods (such as rice); followed by an increase in the consumption of non-traditional staple foods […]
Way forward with new methods of food production
BY JOTISRI VASUDEVAN The world population is projected to reach 9.8 billion in 2050 according to the United Nations. As the global population continues to grow, the demand for food resources, particularly proteins, is reaching unprecedented levels. Traditional methods such as dairy farming and livestock rearing pose significant challenges in terms of resource consumption, environmental […]
Hybrid Chillies successfully grown in Pakistan
UNDER the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, Pakistani and Chinese agriculture scientists have successfully cultivated hybrid chillies over 750 acres of land across the South Asian country this season. Guard Agricultural Research & Services (Pvt) Limited and LTEC from China have joined hands to promote land development across 30,000 acres in 2023-2024. Out of this, 5000-6000 […]
Local scientist seeds innovation in GM research
AS the world’s population continues to grow and arable land becomes increasingly scarce, there is a pressing need to enhance the efficiency of food production. At the same time, climate change is wreaking havoc on our planet’s ecosystems, making it increasingly difficult to grow crops in many regions. But Selangor-born scientist, Dr Najiah Mohd Sadali is […]
Smart sex-sorting technology answer to wanton chick culling
BY VIRMAN JURI ANNUALLY, seven billion male chicks are being culled worldwide. Male layer chickens do not have commercial or economical value for hatcheries in contrast to female layer chickens that lay eggs. This fact raises a glaring concern in the poultry industry in matters pertaining to animal welfare. Furthermore in Malaysia, food security issues have […]