By: Nurul Ezzaty Mohd Azhari
Photo: Mohammad Izrul Abd Jabar
SERDANG, 20 MARCH - Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Farm Fresh Bhd. (FFB) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to develop an Agro-Tourism Centre which aims to increase students' interest in the dairy industry and instil interest towards agriculture among the younger generation.
The signing of the MoA was witnessed by the Minister of Higher Education, Dato' Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, at the UPM-Farm Fresh Dairy Industry Centre of Excellence (ICoE) here.
UPM Vice Chancellor, Dato' Prof. Dr. Mohd Roslan Sulaiman, said the agreement includes teaching and learning, research and innovation, student entrepreneurship activities, and related skills training for UPM staff.
"This strategic collaboration strengthens teaching and learning activities in dairy farming and related processes apart from boosting research and innovation activities in the focus areas of the university and the industry," he said.
According to Dato' Seri Mohamed Khaled, the partnership is a model of cooperation involving the public sector, particularly collaboration between a university and the private sector, by bringing the industry into the campus and helping the ministry in joint educational research.
"The ministry has also urged universities to look at collaborative opportunities with private companies and not solely depend on the government as there are many companies that wish to invest and cooperate with universities to achieve a win-win outcome.”
"FFB also offers part-time work to students, so students will not only learn to handle farm animals but also increase their income. At the same time, this allows the company to offer jobs to the best students.”
According to the Chief Operating Officer of Farm Fresh Berhad Group, Azmi Zainal, on-campus collaboration with the industry allows students to be involved in industrial training, gain experience at FFB, and prepare themselves to compete in the workforce.
Nadiah Nadhirah Roslan, a Bachelor of Animal Science student at the Faculty of Agriculture, UPM, currently working at Farm Fresh Malaysia, claimed that she could practise her knowledge and experience, including animal handling and management and the agriculture field.
Her friend, Muhammad Ammar Azni, a Diploma in Animal Health and Husbandry at UPM Bintulu Campus (UPMKB), said practical training with FFB staff has helped him master cattle handling.
"I am grateful to Farm Fresh Malaysia for guiding me, and I find this career interesting as it is challenging and requires skills in handling farm animals," he said.
The initiative also indirectly supports the 3rd Goal of the UPM Strategic Plan 2021-2025, which is to Create a Sustainable Industry and Community Networking Ecosystem. -UPM
