Putra Agricultural CENTRE (PPP), Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Sarawak Campus (UPMKB) has organised a Technical Course on Quail Farming and Compost Processing on 6 August.

The course was conducted at the Putra Agricultural Centre Office, UPMKB (Theory) and Poultry Hatching Unit (Practical) from 8 am to 5 pm.

The course was attended by 15 participants comprising government pensioners, lecturers from local IPTA, Petronas Carigali staff, housewives and self-employed individuals covering various districts such as Bintulu, Miri, Sibu, Sarikei, Lubok Antu, Mukah, Kanowit, Kuching as well as participants from Sabah.

According to Dr Carlina Freddie Simol @ Rachellynna, the Chairman of the organiser and the course speaker, the Senior Agricultural Officer of the Putra UPMKB Agricultural Centre, among the technical courses of Quail Farming and Compost Processing are theories related to quail farming as a whole, infrastructure requirements, introduction of housing and management of quail livestock, nutrition, quail health management as well as exposure related to the management of quails after hatching (breeding,  enlargement and feeding).

In addition, the practical/practical session was conducted by Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Agricultural Science and Forestry who is also the Head of Borneo Biodiversity Laboratory, Borneo Ecoscience Institute UPMKB Dr Latifah Omar.

Participants were exposed to the technique of selection of quail eggs for the purpose of incubation and hatching, exposure of manual and small-scale incubator manufacturing/production techniques as well as the practicalities of composting through quail subsistence. The practical session was assisted by the staff of the Putra UpmKB Agricultural Centre, Norbaya Che Rus and Yusri Drahman.

Deputy Director of PPP, UPMKB, Assoc Prof Dr Amy Halimah Rajaee also added that the course was conducted in line with the need for increased knowledge to strengthen agriculture as one of the initiatives in the face of the country's food security crisis.

According to him, this course is one of a series of courses planned in 2022 in realizing the University4Society program through the Agricultural Technology Transfer Course and the development of agriculture with the general public.

Among the courses that will be organised for the year 2022 include courses on the breeding of ducks, fidlot cattle farming, vegetable crops in lowland areas as well as fertigation system.

PPP UPMKB would like to thank Josephine Jawai Makos, Noor Irawati Ahmad, Renee Sherna (urus setia), Benedict Miden (photographer) and all parties involved directly or indirectly in the success of this course.

The highest appreciation is also extended to the Director of UPMKB Campus, Prof Dr Shahrul Razid Sarbini for always providing support in organising such courses.