11-07-2025
UPM Sarawak empowers Marudi pineapple farmers through community agri-business programme
The UPMS team seen during their visit to one of the pineapple farms in Marudi.
BINTULU (July 11): Universiti Putra Malaysia Sarawak (UPMS), through its 'Agriculture for the People' initiative, continues to strengthen its role in rural community development.
As part of its ongoing effort, a community engagement programme was recently held with pineapple farmers in Marudi under the Knowledge Transfer Grant Scheme – Industry and Community Network (KTGS-JINM).
The programme, led by project leader Dr Shairil Izwan Taasim, focused on farm financial planning and agri-business management strategies.
The initiative aimed to transfer academic expertise and empower local communities to become more competitive within the agricultural sector.
Local pineapple farm operators, led by Isaac Kui, also took part in the programme.
Through this approach, participating farmers were equipped with a strong foundation in systemic planning and management of agricultural yields.
According to Shairil, the programme aligns with the university's aspiration to share academic knowledge and expertise with the public, ultimately contributing to the improvement of community livelihoods.
'The shared knowledge covered not only agriculture but also management, marketing, and area development potential,' he said.
'Beyond improving farm efficiency and crop record-keeping, the programme also introduced the community to the potential of developing their area as an agro-tourism destination, leveraging the size of the pineapple farms and the uniqueness of local crops.'
Also participating in the programme were Dr Steward Giman Stephen and Ainul Fikri Mohamad Pauzi, who played key roles in field activities and knowledge sharing with the participants.
UPMS' presence among smallholder farmers in Marudi reflects the university's capability to drive socio-economic transformation through a needs-based and community-centric approach. lead marudi pineapple UPMS
