KUALA LUMPUR – In the quiet coastal state of Terengganu, a vibrant green revolution is taking root. What began as a strategic collaboration between the Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit (Teraju) and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) has blossomed into a lifeline for local farmers. The Teraju-UMT Sweet Melon Project is not just producing fruit; it is cultivating a new generation of sophisticated “agropreneurs” who are redefining the boundaries of traditional agriculture.
By merging academic research with federal financial backing, this initiative has successfully transformed 28 local participants from struggling subsistence farmers into profitable business owners, proving that with the right tools, the soil can yield much more than just crops—it can yield financial dignity.
The project, backed by a substantial allocation of over RM2 million, was designed with a long-term vision in mind. Spanning a five-year lifecycle—comprising two years of intensive implementation and three years of rigorous monitoring—the program is currently in its mid-stage. Having recently celebrated its first successful harvest, the project is now transitioning toward community-led management.
Suhaila Salleh, Teraju’s Director of Assurance and Programme Management, emphasized that the initiative’s true value lies in its structure. Speaking at the Impact Recognition Ceremony at UMT Bukit Kor, she noted that the participants—many of whom previously lacked a fixed income—are now generating a steady average of RM1,200 per month.
“The project is more structured, utilizing additional knowledge from the university to help increase cultivation capacity,” Suhaila explained. “We are seeing a significant improvement among participants who previously paid less attention to melon cultivation but are now able to market high-quality products at local markets.”
The backbone of this success is a high-tech infrastructure spread across 1.5 acres at the UMT Bukit Kor campus. The project has established 17 Rain Shelter Houses (RSH), which protect the delicate melon crops from Terengganu’s unpredictable tropical weather. These shelters are integrated with a semi-open fertigation system—a method that delivers water and nutrients directly to the plants via 7,200 polybags.
This technical setup allows each participant to manage approximately 1,000 sweet melon plants simultaneously, maximizing yield while minimizing waste. However, the “technology transfer” goes beyond the greenhouse. Participants are also trained in:
- Professional Financial Management: Transitioning from “cash-in-hand” habits to formal accounting.
- Corporate Governance: Learning the ethics and standards of transparent business operations.
- Technical Farming Mastery: Leveraging UMT’s academic insights to combat pests and optimize fruit sweetness.
One of the primary hurdles for small-scale farmers is market access. To solve this, the Teraju-UMT project has built a robust ecosystem of strategic partners. The Department of Agriculture provides the necessary technical oversight, while the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) acts as a bridge to the consumer.
By facilitating the transport of produce to farmers’ markets and local vendors, these agencies ensure that the agropreneurs are not just growing food, but are active participants in the state’s economic supply chain.
As the project moves toward its final phases of monitoring before being fully handed over to the community, it stands as a shining example of how public-private-academic partnerships can solve rural poverty. The “Terengganu Sweet Melon” is fast becoming a brand associated with quality and the resilience of the Bumiputera community.
For the 28 agropreneurs involved, this isn’t just a job—it’s a career upgrade. By providing the infrastructure, the funding, and the education, Teraju and UMT have ensured that the sweetness of this project will be tasted by the community for years to come.
