Field notes

Coral farm offers sea change of hope and livelihood

Pilot project at Malaysia's Bidong island eyes slice of lucrative export market while providing jobs to the locals; it also benefits coral sustainability.

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It was once South-east Asia's largest camp for "boat people" in the 1970s - Bidong island in Terengganu.

The Vietnamese fleeing the aftermath of the Vietnam War have long since left, but today the island is the subject of a new focus, a pilot project to farm coral for export.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 02, 2019, with the headline Coral farm offers sea change of hope and livelihood. Subscribe