KOTA KINABALU: Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), through its Borneo Marine Research Institute (IPMB), is helping to boost community income through aquaculture farming courses.
The initiative is part of the Higher Education Centre of Excellence (HICoE) programme, which IPMB was awarded last year.
The one-day course, jointly organised by IPMB's aquaculture partners and the Sabah Fisheries Department, attracted 35 participants from the Kudat, Kota Marudu, and Pitas districts.
"The course aimed to expose communities in the Kudat area to the importance of, and various types of, aquaculture activities that can be carried out along coastal areas.
"These activities not only provide opportunities to increase local income but also have the potential to become a primary or supplementary source of income, thereby improving family livelihoods," said IPMB in a statement.
Participants gained valuable insights into overcoming challenges faced by fish farmers and fishermen, while exploring sustainable and effective approaches to socioeconomic improvement.
The programme also supports ongoing research titled "Socio-Economy: Assessing the Impact of Aquaculture Technology Transfer to Communities", which IPMB is conducting to evaluate how technology transfer can improve the lives of coastal residents.
"This programme aims to empower local communities with skills and knowledge in aquaculture, while providing training opportunities relevant to current needs.
"IPMB, and UMS more broadly, will continue to strengthen education and research in Sabah, offering unwavering support to local communities, particularly in efforts to improve their quality of life through innovative and sustainable approaches."
IPMB also implemented several programmes to advance aquaculture skills and knowledge among participants throughout the year.
These include Basic Aquaculture Management, Characterisation and Immunology Profiling of Fish Blood, and Basic Fish Parasite Identification.
"With a focus on more efficient, sustainable, and competitive aquaculture technology, IPMB is committed to addressing challenges in the fisheries industry and enhancing the global competitiveness of local aquaculture products," it said.
IPMB was recognised as one of the HICoEs in 2024 for its significant contributions to national research and higher education, particularly in aquaculture research, focusing on hybrid groupers and mameng fish.