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gri-entrepreneur Magret Darusin, may look ordinary, but the spirit of this Dusun woman is filled with the desire to ‘liberate’ her village community from the shackles of poverty.
She’s not wealthy, but the 55-year old native of Kampung Tambatuon here, is all fired up to share her fortune with the villagers through various initiatives she has undertaken.
Starting with organic padi that produces red rice as well as other types of crops, Magret got her act together by diversifying her portfolio into the cultivation of cocoa, which is then processed into cocoa nibs.
The mother of six does not believe in working in silos. She says that fostering a strong team spirit is crucial for improving morale, enhancing productivity and creating a positive work environment.
With this strategy, she started to mobilise the villagers, including housewives, to revive the cocoa cultivation that they once pursued.
"So far, our village has been cultivating cocoa. There are 18 farmers actively planting cocoa, including myself. Currently, I have only 300 cocoa trees and can produce up to 100 kilograms each harvest," she told Bernama.
She said that cocoa fruits are usually harvested in May and December each year.
REVIVING THE SPIRIT
Kampung Tambatuon, located at the foot of Mount Kinabalu, is 32 kilometres (km) from the town of Kota Belud or 71 km from Kota Kinabalu. It is known as a tourist destination, and most of its residents are farmers who cultivate crops such as organic rice, cocoa, rubber, pineapples, and black pepper.
Sharing further, Magret said that cocoa cultivation in her village began in 2012 but came to a halt due to the commodity price downturn.
"Due to the low prices of cocoa at the time, we were discouraged from pursuing our efforts, so we abandoned our plantation until it turned into a jungle,” she shared.
However, the presence of the Sabah Social Entrepreneurship Association (Sosea) in the village in 2018 opened a new chapter for Magret and other cocoa farmers.
They were given entrepreneurship courses and guidance to revive their previously neglected cocoa plantations.
Convinced of the cocoa industry’s potential based on Sosea's explanation, Magret then obtained a licence to process wet cocoa beans herself from the Malaysian Cocoa Board (LKM), allowing her to buy wet cocoa beans from other farmers.
At that time, she offered competitive prices compared to other processors to boost the spirit of cocoa farmers.
"I did that because I didn't want them to lose their drive to plant cocoa. It's okay for me to buy it at a higher price because I will find other initiatives to break even. I am also a farmer. If the price is low, it's not worth it as the income earned does not match the effort," she said.
DIVERSIFYING PRODUCTS
To attract residents, especially housewives toward the cocoa industry, Magret diversified the commodity into other products such as cocoa powder, chocolate bars, and cocoa nibs, which are sold to a private chocolate company and individuals.
"We involve housewives so they can generate income and subsequently help improve their family’s economy,” she said.
She also hopes to realise her dream of turning the village into a cocoa producer while working towards building her own chocolate brand.
This endeavour is expected to materialise soon when a mini chocolate factory, developed with assistance from Bank Islam, is completed.
In addition, Magret is also responsible for managing the Cocoa Processing Centre, Kampung Tambatuon Cocoa Cluster, a project under the 12th Malaysia Plan.
FUTURE PLANS
Looking ahead, Magret shared that she has several plans, including the addition of approximately 2,000 more cocoa trees, which will span an area of about two hectares.
Additionally, she is determined to strengthen youth involvement in her village within the next two years, ensuring that a future generation is prepared to carry on the work in the cocoa industry.
"The role of youth is essential because if we don't engage them, who will continue this effort to develop the cocoa industry?" she noted, adding that several initiatives have already been launched, including the organisation of chocolate-making courses.
When asked about her motivation to assist the people in her village, Magret responded, "I have a natural love for helping the community."
"When I do this, it allows farmers, mothers, and housewives to feel valued, knowing they are needed and can contribute while also generating income.
"In fact, the entire village feels like one big family, living harmoniously, united, and always helping each other," she said.
The agri-entrepreneur also expressed her gratitude to LKM, Sosea, and other non-governmental organisations such as Yayasan Hasanah, which have provided significant assistance to her and the villagers through training, machinery, and funding, enabling them to make greater strides in the cocoa industry.
Translated by Salbiah Said
