Exploring! Educating! Enjoying! All you could get in UPM Edu-Park

• 
• 

Byline: Loo Mei Yee

Agriculture is not only a source of green production for the nation, but also a field of business. Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), as the leading local research university which primarily focus on agriculture, has explored the commercializing potential of its agricultural projects by promoting edu-tourism program, known as Edu-Park.

Majorities living in urban area nowadays, seldom have the opportunity to get into the world of planting and cultivating tame animals. Knowing this, the experiential learning program has then been established and held in several areas of UPM to provide chances for the society to interact with nature. By setting reasonable, affordable admission fee, UPM is able to promote its research outputs and earn extra profits, besides guiding whoever interested in agriculture to receive knowledge.

Edu-Park, opens from 8am to 5pm on weekdays, is a suitable place for school out-going program, that could motivate learning and encourage the love for nature at the same time.

Spend the day with cattle and horses

The large, open, grassy field, which is once the research area for ruminant animals, has also now become the attractive spot in Edu-Park programs. While relaxing and enjoying the scenic farm view with animals wandering freely, visitors could interact with deer and cattle by touching and feeding them. There is also cow milking show for visitors to witness the whole process of experts extracting milk from cow.

On the other hand, Equine Centre, which is the horse paddock, has also attracted a lot of visitors. Some of them are horse riding lovers, as related lessons are provided over there. Besides learning how to groom and take good care of horses, visitors could interact with horses by feeding them with carrots. Animals bred in UPM are important resources of agricultural research, yet they also play important roles in promoting tourism to the university.

Visitor feeding cattle with food provided.

Visitor snapping photo with a white horse.

A secret garden has nearly 600 species

Since 2003, UPM has been collecting species of wild plant from various countries, and now, the public has finally been given the chance to meet the nearly 600 collections in Conservatory Park. With guidance provided, visitors could explore 11 different zones, that exhibiting a variety of herbs, medical plants, aquatic plants, and so on. Information boards of the species are placed along the pedestrian path, easing visitors to understand the different wild plants.

Different species showing their unique appearances, could be an interesting view for visitors

Edu-Park is a bridge between UPM and the society. By holding this program, the public could learn about agricultural relevant knowledge, while UPM could commercialize its agricultural projects by altering them into attractive tourism spot. In the end, agribusiness is an art to transform agriculture into a business, which requiring the need to recognize the commercializing potential in the agricultural practices.

Sources: www.sciencepark.upm.edu.my/eduparkbm | www.facebook.com/EduParkUPM/