By: Azman Zakaria
SIMPANG RENGGAM, Dec 5: A total of 28 members of the Johor Students’ Welfare Association, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), have participated in the Kembara Pertanian Perpaduan (United Agricultural Adventure) community-based programme, which also involved the participation of 20 families from Taman Desa Sejahtera, Simpang Renggam here.
The three-day programme, which started on December 3, originated from the Main Project, No-Dig Agriculture Project, a competition by the Johor Education Foundation (YPJ), taking place from June 2021 to May 2022.
Machap State Assemblyman, Abd Taib Abu Bakar, said the programme was developed by UPM students and is expected to produce a society that is innovative, productive, and creative in utilising spaces available for agricultural activities.
“Group farming activities in the neighbourhood such as planting vegetables can provide results without buying and sharing sustenance. Indirectly, the community’s social ties can be strengthened,” he said while officiating the programme.
YPJ Student Development Manager, Hamdi Mohamed Amin, said the programme is expected to help society increase agricultural knowledge and apply in daily life.
At the programme, various inputs were shared in terms of residents’ experience, students’ knowledge, as well as building relationships and living as one foster family.
A total of 20 students became facilitators to 20 foster families and indirectly helped the families by giving them advice in regards to tree care.
Programme Director, Ahmad Shukry Yahya, said he was thankful because the programme succeeded in achieving the goal of sharing knowledge and agricultural innovation and forging good relationships with the community.
Member of the Main Committee, Hazirah Samad, said the programme had a great impact on the residents in using newly introduced agricultural innovations without a hoe.
A resident, Noorashikin Rominor, said she was happy to meet foster children under the programme and hoped that such programmes would continue in the future.
Another resident, Zulkafli Mohamad Nor, said the programme that was held for the first time in the park is extremely meaningful to all residents, and he was happy with the presence of UPM students.
The No-Dig Agriculture Project is an innovation by the Chairman of the Kajang Neighbourhood Centre (Pusat Rukun Tetangga), Ibrahim Martibi, who is also the project mentor. The urban agriculture innovation programme that started in 2014 is relevant and has great potential. It also saves space and gives good returns if commercialised. – UPM
