PADAWAN: Local food products such as chips, coffee and village-based produce have the potential to be developed into community enterprises that create new sources of income for residents.
Deputy Minister of Transport (Aviation and Roads) Datuk Dr Jerip Susil said women, in particular, have significant opportunities to expand economic activities based on local products.
He said the potential needs to be supported through comprehensive planning covering raw material supply, production and marketing to ensure the enterprises can remain sustainable in the long term.
“If we want to produce chips, the supply of bananas must be sufficient and consistent, and the same applies to marketing.
“We need to look at the entire ecosystem so that the efforts we start can grow and remain sustainable in the long term,” he said when officiating the Kampung Braang Bayur Women’s Bureau here recently.
Dr Jerip, who is also Mambong assemblyman, said large-scale banana cultivation in the constituency can be considered to provide a consistent supply of raw materials for local food-processing enterprises.
He said the approach can not only support food production but also create an economic chain involving growers, processors and marketers.
Meanwhile, he encourages the community to capitalise on development in surrounding areas, including business facilities, hawker centres and new developments that can potentially increase demand for local products and services.
He said cooperation and proper management need to be established so that emerging economic opportunities can be utilised by the local community in a more organised manner.
He stressed that community development should not rely solely on assistance, but should be accompanied by efforts to improve skills, production capacity and the community’s ability to generate sustainable income.
