By: Nurul Ezzaty Mohd Azhari dan Sharifah Hannah Adibah Wan Serail
SERDANG, Sept 22 – Agricultural machinery is a tool to replace human and animal labour, especially in ploughing, harvesting, spraying poisons, and planting activities.
According to the Head of Machinery Service, Training and Mechanisation Section, Farm Engineering Division (BKL), Putra Agricultural Centre (PPP), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Siti Rohani Asari, the use of agricultural machinery has helped the university in increasing productivity and good quality in the agricultural sector.
"BKL PPP offers servicing facilities of farming tools, vehicles, and agricultural machinery to UPM’s Responsibility Centres (PTJ). A total of 65 agricultural machinery consisting of large, medium, and small tractors are provided to assist in agricultural, plantation, and animal husbandry, as well as teaching and learning activities in UPM.
"There are almost 200 farming tools available here. They are mainly used for teaching, though they are also being actively used as transportation and in agricultural programmes with the community.
"Each machine has various functions that can facilitate the work of farmers and ranchers. Besides, they help to reduce the time spent for land preparation, ploughing, poisoning, weed control, and harvesting," she said.
Meanwhile, Azril Abbas, the Assistant Engineer in the Maintenance and Repair Section clarified that his team does periodic maintenance and even fixing of issues on the machinery.
"We need to make sure that these machines function well and not simply abandoned. We encourage the drivers here to have the knowledge to detect any damage to the machinery for their own safety," he said.
