BINTULU: More than 100 participants from various longhouses in Tatau took part in the Aquaponics Entrepreneurship seminar held recently at SK Sungai Bagian. The seminar aimed to educate the local community on business opportunities through aquaponics, a system that combines plant cultivation with fish farming.
The seminar participants included residents from Rumah Ulen Anak Segaya, Rumah Banyang Anak Rekan, Rumah Abong Anak Medan, Rumah Josip Anak Adam, Rumah Rundi Anak Layau, Rumah Gundi Anak Chunggat, Rumah Enjan Anak Gos, Rumah Dora Anak Lani, as well as teachers, staff, and students from SK Sungai Bagian.
The programme was organised by Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Sarawak Campus (UPMKB) with support from the Community Empowerment Programme@UniMADANI, funded by the Ministry of Finance.
The seminar aimed to provide participants with valuable knowledge and skills on aquaponics as a sustainable business opportunity in agriculture.
According to Dr Fatin Hana Naning, programme director, UPMKB is committed to empowering local communities by sharing practical knowledge and skills, especially in the field of sustainable agriculture.
She emphasised the importance of the support from the UniMADANI Programme in making this initiative a success.
“We hope that this seminar will open up new opportunities for the residents here,” she added.
The seminar also featured several aquaponics experts who shared their experiences in the field and provided practical advice on developing a sustainable business.
Participants were also given the opportunity to take part in an interactive question-and-answer session. Dr Ismawati Sharkawi, a senior lecturer at UPMKB, shared insights on how to start an aquaponics business, market the products, and use green technology to improve living standards, focusing on entrepreneurship and sustainability.
Tuai Rumah Ulen Segaya, one of the longhouse leaders, expressed gratitude to UPMKB and all those involved, saying, “The knowledge we gained today is very useful. With this guidance, I am confident that we can try out the aquaponics system in our longhouse and maybe start our own business.”
In closing, UPMKB hopes that this seminar will be the first step in encouraging sustainable entrepreneurial interest among the longhouse community, thus improving their standard of living and socio-economic status.
“This seminar not only provides learning opportunities but also serves as a platform for participants to connect, share ideas, and build a spirit of collaboration for future projects,” said Dr Fatin.
