Agricultural Project @ Mentari Farm Process Of Trainee Recovery
Mentari Pasir Mas, Kelantan
Description of Project
Psychiatric Rehabilitation, a branch of science, aims to help MPM patients/trainees who need special support, such as referred cases suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder and psychotic symptoms, with the hope that MPM trainees can be accepted back into society.
The Pasir Mas community is a producer of various agricultural products, with land that is suitable for various types of agriculture. MPM that operates within the HPM area has a large and abandoned land, which is very suitable for carrying out this project. This project will benefit MPM trainees in cultivating work habits, as well as work skills based on agriculture and inclination towards agriculture and rehabilitation. Apart from that, train trainees in skills in emotional management, financial management, self-reliance in life skills such as planning, shopping, preparing food, & home management.
INTRODUCTION
The healing effects of people-plant interaction among psychiatric populations in residential care facilities and outpatient community settings have been showed improvement in psychopathologic symptoms among patients with schizophrenia (Oh, Park, & Ahn, 2018), a decrease in agitation in people with dementia (Edwards, McDonnell, & Merl, 2013), and decreased levels of anxiety, depression and stress among individuals with psychiatric disorders (Kam & Siu, 2010).
This project involves 7 trainees who have been consulted, on the land allowed by the hospital director to be cultivated by MPM, as a start with the Banana Project (300′ square area : 60 banana trees) & Eggplant Project (1100′ square area : 600 polybags) . This project uses a fertigation and care system on a schedule with trainees and the proceeds are sold to wholesalers. Among the challenges faced is the threat of domesticated & wild animals, disease attacks, dependence on weather conditions & falling demand in the off season, as well as physical burdens: it takes a lot of time & energy, capital.
CONCLUSIONS
This project has had a positive impact on the trainees involved, with the continuous cooperation of the hospital management we have worked on two abandoned land sites and two sites that have not yet been worked on. Cooperation from the Pasir Mas Agriculture Department in terms of guidance and advice, and providing a place for trainees to take short-term courses to give exposure to proper agricultural techniques. The collection results are easy to market with the demand and distance of the nearby morning market sales site.
Challenges in agriculture are always there, with the cooperation of related government agencies to some extent can help to launch this project such as the Department of Agriculture/Jabatan Pertanian and the Department of Wildlife/Jabatan Perhilitan. We will continue to collaborate directly and continuously with other government agencies to ensure that our results and collections are maintained and of good quality.
Author
Dr Normardhiah binti Md Rasdi
Dr Foo Fong Jiuan SOT Mohd Nazri bin Mahmood
SN Roslida binti Ismail AMO Nasharuddin bin Abd Halim
Mentari Info
MENTARI is a new approach initiated by the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) to improve outreach and re-integration of people with mental health problems into the community.
Total Visitor
Government Website
Contact us
MENTARI HQ @ Selayang
LG Lot 25B,26,27 Selayang Capitol Kompleks, Selayang – Kepong Highway, 68100 Kuala Lumpur
03-6127 0946