April 29, 2024

Malaysian university cultivates red tilapia farming programme

University of Putra Malaysia (UPM)'s People's Income Initiative-Agro Entrepreneur (IPR-Intan) programme has selected red tilapia for its fish farming project, driven by the consistent demand for this fast-growing species, The Star reported.

According to Dr Fadhil Syukri, a senior lecturer at UPM's Agriculture Faculty, the first group of five IPR-Intan participants has been cultivating the fish in cages since December 2023. They underwent guidance classes in November and December before proceeding to practical training in fish cage management.

The practical training involved releasing juveniles, each measuring two to three inches, into the cages. A total of 2,000 juveniles were released into each cage, marking the initial steps of the project.

The IPR-Intan programme adopts a two-pronged approach: to boost participants' income and to expose them to smart agriculture based on the Internet of Things (IoT). Dr Fadhil, who boasts 15 years of experience in fish breeding, elaborated that each participant oversees four cages as part of the programme.

-      The Star