Vice President Mao Xiangdong noted that the university has established long-term cooperative relationships with institutions including Universiti Putra Malaysia and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman. These collaborations encompass deep engagement in academic exchanges, scientific research cooperation, and talent development. Leveraging the development of the specialized Master of Agricultural Management program and overseas practice bases, the university has further expanded its practical training scope, integrated high-quality educational resources, and injected new vitality into the discipline's advancement.

Intelligence-Enhanced Agriculture: Unlocking the New Paradigm of Industry Restructuring via Smart Technology

The first stop of the study tour brought the faculty and students to Universiti Putra Malaysia, ranked 134th in the QS World University Rankings. The university's profound foundation in agricultural disciplines and its cutting-edge research in artificial intelligence opened new horizons for the students regarding smart agriculture. In specialized courses such as "Application of Signals and Systems in Modern Agriculture" and "Agriculture and Artificial Intelligence," participants systematically studied diverse data acquisition technologies including sensor monitoring, satellite remote sensing, and drone aerial photography. They clarified the iterative evolution from Agriculture 1.0 to 4.0, gaining a deep understanding that modern agriculture has transcended traditional cultivation and breeding to enter a new digital phase characterized by the deep integration of data, algorithms, and hardware.

Drawing on the specific characteristics of tropical cash crop cultivation in Southeast Asia, the expert lecturers meticulously explained the practical applications of AI in crop growth monitoring, pest and disease early warning, and precise resource allocation for cultivation and breeding. This allowed students to intuitively grasp the industrial transformation driven by smart technologies, shifting from "auxiliary supplementation" to "full-process restructuring." The "Smart Agricultural Processing" course focused on the deep processing of agricultural products, detailing the application of technologies such as intelligent sensing, quality inspection, and full-process traceability in food and pharmaceutical production. This demonstrated how technological momentum injects efficiency and quality into the entire agricultural industry chain, clarifying the core logic behind empowering modern agriculture with smart technology.

Ecological Circulation: Field Training Implements New Concepts of Green Cultivation and Breeding

At Universiti Teknologi MARA Melaka, the faculty and students were deeply inspired by the institutional model that deeply integrates "production, education, research, and application." If Universiti Putra Malaysia represented the sowing of theoretical knowledge, then the university's off-campus practical training farm was where the fruits of that knowledge were harvested. Upon entering the ecological farm, the harmonious arrangement of fish ponds, fruit and vegetable cultivation areas, and livestock zones unfolded a vivid picture of an efficient and symbiotic agricultural circular ecosystem.

Local agricultural experts guided the students through field observations of distinctive models like "aquaponics" and "integrated rice-fish farming." Water from fish ponds, after filtration and purification, provides nutrients for fruits and vegetables, while the vegetable roots reciprocally purify the water. Livestock and poultry manure is converted into organic fertilizer, enabling a multi-level circular utilization of resources. The students also gained hands-on experience with tropical agricultural ecological cultivation methods, including new flood-tolerant and disease-resistant fruit and vegetable varieties developed specifically for Malaysia's hot and humid climate, as well as efficient cultivation techniques combining shade nets with drip irrigation. Combining this with their knowledge of pain points in domestic tropical crop cultivation, students engaged in in-depth discussions with experts, effectively integrating theory with field practice and gaining a tangible appreciation for the core principles of sustainable ecological agriculture.

Engaging with the Market: Deciphering Industrial Development Logic at the Frontline

Aligned with a comprehensive perspective on the entire agricultural industry chain, the study tour also led faculty and students to NSK, a leading local Malaysian supermarket chain, and Beryl's, a renowned chocolate enterprise. Here, they analyzed the operational logic of the industry from the perspectives of market terminals and deep processing. With over four decades of experience in the grocery retail sector, NSK has achieved a virtuous cycle of low prices and high customer traffic through its dual "retail + wholesale" model and an operational strategy of streamlining the supply chain via direct sourcing from farmers. Its product prices are generally 10-15% lower than those in ordinary supermarkets, catering to both household consumers and small to medium-sized merchants. This mature model offers valuable insights for the circulation of agricultural products and the transformation of the supermarket sector in China.

At the Beryl's chocolate factory, the fully automated cocoa bean processing line and standardized production processes gave students a direct experience of the modern food industry. By leveraging Malaysia's tropical specialty resources and blending Western techniques with local culture, the company has launched distinctive products such as durian and coconut-infused chocolates, forging a brand development path characterized by "local resources + process innovation + cultural empowerment." This enabled students to deeply understand that the post-harvest phase of agricultural products encompasses not just distribution and sales, but also serves as a critical domain for brand building, value chain enhancement, and cultural expression.

Integrating Knowledge with Action: Cross-Disciplinary Study Fosters Growth and New Perspectives

This study tour extended beyond the agricultural industry itself to incorporate cultural exchange and ecological reflection. The faculty and students visited the National Museum of Malaysia, Jonker Street Melaka, Bukit China, and Putrajaya Wetlands Park. Through these visits, they experienced the charm of Nanyang's diverse cultural fusion and the historical depth of the Maritime Silk Road, while also contemplating the cultural roots of the overseas Chinese community. Field investigations at Malaysia's largest man-made wetland project allowed them to study ecological governance techniques related to water purification and biodiversity conservation, integrating the concept of ecological civilization into their professional studies.

From university classrooms to fields and farms, and from supermarket shelves to factory production lines, the students developed a systematic understanding of modern agriculture from a full industry chain perspective. This experience broadened their professional horizons and helped them identify areas for improvement in cross-cultural communication, information technology application, and global vision, thereby clarifying their focus for future study.