KOLEJ CANSELOR  – The College Representative Council from the Secretariat of Green Sustainability and Food Security, Kolej Canselor, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), successfully organised the Jom Petik Cili Programme on Sunday, 13 April 2025, at the Fertigation Site of Kolej Canselor, located between Block Keranji and Block Delima. The programme, which started at 8.00 AM, involved a total of 85 students, including participants from Jiwa Putra who also assisted in the activities. This initiative aimed to cultivate students’ interest in agriculture and to foster their understanding of how agricultural practices can be integrated into daily life, especially in the context of maintaining crops sustainably.

Throughout the programme, various hands-on activities were conducted, such as arranging chilli plant plots, staking chilli plants to support their growth, and weighing and packaging harvested chillies. A total of 10 kilograms of red bird's eye chillies were successfully sold to the shop Three Sister’s Snack Bar, while the remaining harvest was sold to staff and fellows at Kolej Canselor. The programme concluded at 12.00 PM with the fertigation site neatly cleaned and organised, reflecting the participants' spirit of teamwork and care for the environment’s cleanliness and beauty.

Through direct involvement, students were exposed to important knowledge on how to maintain the freshness and health of chilli plants, such as balanced nutrient management, proper watering techniques, sustainable pest control, and pruning practices to stimulate optimal plant growth. This programme also served as a platform to enhance students’ knowledge in modern, eco-friendly agriculture and strengthen agrotechnology skills, which are increasingly gaining global attention.

In addition to strengthening technical skills in agriculture, the programme also provided various other benefits for students and the Kolej Canselor community. Among these were sharpening soft skills such as teamwork, leadership, and effective communication, as participants collaborated in activities at the fertigation site. The programme also strengthened bonds of camaraderie and a sense of belonging among students, staff, and fellows through healthy and beneficial interactions. From the perspective of mental and physical well-being, gardening activities have also been shown to reduce stress, enhance mental calmness, and provide satisfaction when witnessing the successful growth of cultivated crops.

Indirectly, this programme supports efforts to strengthen the green sustainability, agribusiness, and agricultural technology agenda, in line with Universiti Putra Malaysia’s aspirations to empower Core A (Agricultural Sustainability) and Core H (Campus Life), particularly element H3 (Environment). With the exposure and guidance provided, students not only gained valuable practical skills but also heightened their awareness of the importance of sustainable agriculture as a relevant element in meeting future food needs and maintaining ecosystem balance. It is hoped that such programmes will inspire students to continue engaging in agribusiness and agricultural technology fields, thereby building a campus community that is conscious of environmental sustainability and sustainable development.

Prepared by: Radhiah binti Johari | 13 April 2025 

Date of Input: 19/05/2025 | Updated: 19/05/2025 | amira_hadri