Wednesday, 24th November 2010
Nakhoda 2, Level 3, Hotel Armada Petaling Jaya
08:30 – 17:00
Centre for Environment, Technology & Development, Malaysia
Interested to participate, please contact CETDEM @ 03-7875 7787 to confirm. Limited seats available.
http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/1jlost-2/Article
Lost Malaya Gallery and Lounge
No.9, Jalan Skudai
80200 Johor Baru
Sundays-Thursdays (3pm – midnight)
Fridays-Saturdays (4pm – 1 am)
Closed on Mondays
Tel: 07-221 0629
- Bario Asal, Kelabit Highlands, Sarawak
Bario Asal micro-hydro project funded by SGP sets another fine example, how the community driven initiative has successfully helped to improve their standard of living by providing electricity to the village homes. Bario highlands, probably one of the remaining last frontiers poses formidable challenges to have the villages connected with national grids for electricity supply.
In 2006, SGP together with Bario Asal community explored the other possible means especially renewable sources to provide them with the power supply. As a result a community based micro-hydro project was conceived and SGP awarded a full grant of US$ 50,000 in 2007.
The project was awarded to Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampung (JKKK), a long house community consist of 50 households. The objectives of the project include:
i. Improved standard of living by providing accessibility to 24 hours electricity supply generated through renewable resources – micro-hydro.
ii. Getting the Bario Asal community consensus and efforts in protecting and
conserving 600 hectares of community forest within the watershed.
iii. Enhancing awareness among the villagers in the importance of conserving the watershed.
iv. Build capacity within the community to operate, maintain and manage the micro-hydro and serves to improve confidence in the community’s ability to undertake community development project.
The construction work of turbine and powerhouse was completed in early 2009. As a result, direct benefits to the villages include:
i. Uninterrupted power supply to 50 households
ii. Income savings to the households at average of RM 300 – 400 per month, previously used for diesel purchase to run generators; cost for wear and tear
iii. Training to the local men to maintain and operate the powerhouse
iv. Initiatives taken by community to conserve surrounding forest at the upper stream to ensure continuous flow of water to the dam and powerhouse.
The project was successful in mobilizing community resources both in terms of financial and physical. SGP funding was supplemented by part contribution from State Authority and partly by each household in the village.
Construction works were mainly carried out by the villagers themselves using locally available resources.
The project also managed to salvage some of the construction materials and infrastructure abandoned from a previous project in the same site and reused them in the project.
Project No.
MAL/OP3/2/06/FP-58
Name of Grantee
Sahabat Sungai Nenggiri
Project Title
Community-Based Conservation of Biodiversity in Sg. Nenggiri, Kelantan
Date of MOA Signature
2006-11-29
Operational Phase
OP3
Status of Project
Ongoing
Focal Area
Biodiversity
Description of project activities
N/A
Project Details & Results
The Nenggiri River is situated in the district of Gua Musang, Kelantan and is one of the major tributaries of the Kelantan river with Lebir and Pergau rivers. Its source is the Lojing Highlands on the Peninsular Main Range.
The environemtal problems include water quality degradation due to high sedimentation from extensive logging activities, land clearing for agriculture, unsustainable harvesting of non-timber forest products and illegal methods of fishing, i.e. poisoning, bombing and electrifying. The poverty level among the local community in the area, mainly the Malaysa and Indigenous Temiar Community is relatively high and are heavily dependent on the forest produce for livelihood.
The objectives of the project include identifing the issues and priorities related to threats to riverine biodiversity especially the freshwater fish species, promote and enhance awareness, and understanding the importance of sustainable management of rivers for conservation of fish and supporting the livelihoods of rural communities. The immediate objective of the project is to strengthen SSN Gua Musang as a mechanism for community participation to conserve natural resources in Nenggiri River and promoting ecootourism as an alternative source of livelihood.
