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

  1. Dr Normardhiah binti Md Rasdi

  2. Dr Foo Fong Jiuan SOT Mohd Nazri bin Mahmood

  3. 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.

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Contact us

MENTARI HQ @ Selayang

LG Lot 25B,26,27 Selayang Capitol Kompleks, Selayang – Kepong Highway, 68100 Kuala Lumpur

03-6127 0946

mentari.hq@moh.gov.my