Dr Azwan (third right) and Duane (fourth left) exchanging documents after signing the LoI.
SANDAKAN (June 8): Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture (FPL), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and Sabah Durian and Tropical Fruit Entrepreneurs (MaSDa) signed a letter of intent (LoI) to establish cooperation, aiming to improve agriculture in the state.
According to the Dean of FPL Prof Dr Azwan Awang, the collaboration is expected to bring benefits to FPL students through fieldwork activities and industrial training at MaSDa member farms.
“FPL aims to train human capital to help raise the country’s agriculture based on three main principles namely sustainability, sensitivity and high technology.
“In line with that goal, cooperation with industries such as MaSDa is established to further develop the agricultural industry in Sabah, in particular,” he said.
Through the collaboration, both parties will benefit from the results of research projects that will be conducted jointly.
Dr Azwan added FPL aspires to excel in the field of agriculture through research activities, innovation and development of agriculture as well as disseminating the latest knowledge in agriculture.
“For the early phase, the cooperation will focus on agronomic and post-harvest studies of avocados,” he explained.
MaSDa is an association of fruit growers registered in Kota Kinabalu and its members consist of fruit plantation operators in several districts of Sabah.
MaSDa farms are operated commercially and the marketing of fruits has penetrated overseas market of Sabah.
At the signing ceremony of the LoI, FPL was represented by Dr Azwan Awang, while MaSDa was represented by its chairman Duane Evans.
Also present at the event were l Horticulture and Landscape Program head Dr Salumiah bint Mijin, representative of the East Coast Division Association/Syarikat Baja Harapan Fertiliser, Steve Lee and FPL administration head Dr Roslan Gimba.