Ukm Signs Moa On Human-wildlife Conflict Research With Mpogcf

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 (Bernama) -- Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) today signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation (MPOGCF) for a research collaboration on the conflict between humans and wildlife, especially in oil palm plantations.

The MoA was signed by UKM pro vice-chancellor (Strategy and Corporate Development) Prof Datuk Dr Roslee Rajikan and MPOGCF acting general manager Hairulazim Mahmud.

Through the MoA, UKM will receive a research grant of RM229,000 from the agency under the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities to conduct research at oil palm plantations in Pahang, Johor, Perak and Sabah from Oct 1, 2023 to Sept 30, 2026.

Roslee said the study would focus on human-wildlife conflict especially in oil palm plantations and analysed the challenges of human-wildlife coexistence and creating wildlife-friendly farming methods to minimise the conflict. 

"We want to make sure that the oil palm plantation workers will not affect or be affected by the presence of wildlife,” he told reporters after the signing ceremony here.

Meanwhile, MPOGCF Board of Trustees member Datuk Abdul Rasyid Idris who witnessed the signing of the MoA said that so far the foundation has held four collaborations with three local universities namely UKM, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and Universiti Malaysia Sabah involving biodiversity studies.

-- BERNAMA