Universiti Malaysia Sabah’s (UMS) ‘Serunding Kobis’ won the NGO Agency Reruai Award in the Innovative Reruai category at the National Agricultural Community Conference (PKPK) 2023 held in Serdang, Selangor recently.

Head of the research group, Dr Jurry Foo, said that the idea of producing Serunding Kobis (cabbage floss) came about after she saw the hardship of local farmers and traders who were struggling with the dumping of the crop following the Movement Control Order (MCO) during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Foo, who is also the director of the UMS Co-Curriculum and Student Development Center (PKPP) added that the Serunding Kobis is an initiative by the university to help farmers and traders around Ranau who are facing movement restrictions due to the implementation of the MCO, thus making it difficult for them to market their agricultural produce.

“This success proves the ability of UMS to cultivate innovation in accordance with its role as the leader of an innovative society,” she said in a statement on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, D’Dompuron Enterprise manager Rojaliah Hanti said she was very grateful because this innovation has opened up business opportunities and generated side income for agricultural product traders.

“Throughout PKPK 2023, this product managed to attract the attention of visitors who found the food innovation as interesting, unique and has delicious taste.

“Therefore, I also intend to further expand our manufacturing and production capacity in order to involve more community members from our village in Libang, Ranau as beneficiaries,” she said.

The empowerment of Serunding Kobis D’Dompuron also received guidance and assistance from the Sabah Agriculture Department, the Department of Industrial Development and Research (DIDR), and the Sabah State Islamic Religious Affairs Department.

Serunding Kobis innovation has also won a gold medal at the National Invention and Innovation Competition (iCompEx) 2021 organized by Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Polytechnic (POLIMAS).

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by THE BORNEO POST

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