BINTULU: Rural farmers need stronger business management skills to turn agriculture from a traditional livelihood into sustainable and profitable ventures.
Universiti Putra Malaysia Sarawak (UPMS) lecturers, Dr Anita Rosli and Dr Ismawati Sharkawi, said farming communities, particularly those in longhouses, could no longer rely solely on traditional knowledge and experience.
“Rising input costs, climate change, changing consumer demand and technological developments meant farmers also needed knowledge in project planning, financial management, marketing and risk management,” they said in a press statement on Friday (Sept. 4).
This need was highlighted through UPMS’ Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Programme held at Rumah (Rh) Jungan, Sungai Mas, here on July 25.
Led by Anita, the community programme brought together 34 participants from Rh Jungan and two neighbouring longhouses, Rh Sam and Rh Micheal Bilong.
The programme aims to equip participants with basic skills in agricultural project management, finance and marketing while encouraging them to view farming beyond subsistence activities.
It was organised under the Minor Rural Project (MRP) grant provided by Bintulu Member of Parliament, who is also the Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, involving RM100,000 in funding.
During the programme, participants learned how to plan agricultural projects systematically, including preparing activity schedules, managing project timelines, allocating resources and estimating costs.
They were also taught basic financial management, including recording sales and expenses, calculating profits, managing cash flow and identifying a project’s break-even point.
Participants were introduced to strategic marketing through the 4Ps – product, price, place and promotion – including opportunities to use digital platforms to reach markets beyond their immediate communities.
The programme also involved 23 students from UPMS’ Agribiz Club as facilitators, providing them with practical exposure to community project management and knowledge-sharing.
Representatives from Agrobank and the Malaysian Cooperative Commission (SKM) Bintulu branch also shared information on agricultural financing and the potential benefits of cooperatives.
Anita and Ismawati said strengthening basic agribusiness knowledge could also encourage more young people to venture into agriculture by positioning the sector as a modern business incorporating technology, innovation and income-generating opportunities.
They said continued collaboration among universities, government agencies and rural communities could help develop more competitive agropreneurs while contributing to Sarawak’s rural economy and food security.
