Popularising R&D, FRIM Paves The Way For Rural Communities In Herbal Industry

By Norazurra Aziz

KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 (Bernama) -- “Popularising Research and Development (R&D) through a technological approach” forms the basis of the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia’s (FRIM) mission to produce rural entrepreneurs in high-potential sectors such as the herbal industry.

FRIM director-general Datuk Dr Ismail Parlan said the institute, through its Empowering Community-Based Herbal Products initiative, aimed to share its expertise with entrepreneurs interested in developing herbal products, thereby helping to boost the local economy.

“When we have herbal-based products developed through R&D, the public will be more confident in purchasing them.

“When we talk about R&D, we don’t want people to remain unaware of the benefits or outcomes, particularly when billions have been allocated for it. That’s why we want the public to enjoy the benefits of FRIM’s research findings,” he told Bernama at the FRIM office here yesterday.

He said the difficulty in sourcing herbal plants from the forest had led to the establishment of herbal farms in the country to support the industry.

“The herbal industry holds strong potential in both domestic and international markets. This is in line with the National Agrofood Policy 2.0 (DAN 2.0), which aims to increase production with quality yields through enhanced productivity.

“However, one of the main issues faced by rural communities is limited access to modern technology and market opportunities. Therefore, this initiative seeks to stimulate the local economy, reduce dependence on imported products, and popularise research findings,” he said.

Ismail said through the initiative, participants would receive hands-on training in planting, farm operations, product processing, packaging, labelling and marketing, especially using the elite Kacip Fatimah clone, FaFaF01, to help generate income and boost the local economy.

He said FaFaF01 was an elite clone of Kacip Fatimah developed and selected by FRIM for its high bioactive content, including phenolics and flavonoids.

“FRIM scientists have studied it for almost 10 years. This clone exhibits consistent and stable growth, making it suitable for various health and food products such as tea, capsules and coffee,” he said.

Ismail said that apart from supplying FaFaF01 seedlings and other herbal species developed by FRIM scientists, the institute also provided periodic technical and practical training, support in label and packaging design, as well as continuous technical monitoring and advisory services to the community.

“In addition, at FRIM, we have a facility known as the Herbal Technology Centre (HTC), a laboratory that can verify the authenticity of herbs.

“As such, the products we produce undergo proper procedures, are Halal-certified, and comply with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP),” he said, adding that they had also received approval from the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Ismail said the initiative was not only driven by FRIM’s R&D and technology transfer but was also supported by FELCRA Bhd, which provided facilities and coordination for cooperatives and community participants.

He said community cooperatives played a key role in coordinating operations and developing herbal products such as tea, coffee and Kacip Fatimah capsules.

According to Ismail, the initiative also received support from the Agriculture Department, institutions of higher learning, the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry, and MOH in areas such as marketing, financing and standard compliance.

Meanwhile, FRIM Plant Breeding Programme head Dr Farah Fazwa Md Ariff said the initiative had achieved several milestones, including winning the 2024 Aspirasi Desa MADANI Award (Kg Bayai Baru) and being nominated for the national-level Desa MADANI awards in 2024 and 2025.

“Through this initiative, the cooperative’s income has increased by 30 per cent annually, with stable demand in the local market. The community has become more skilled, independent and confident in herbal-based entrepreneurship.

“Herbal farms have also been established using high-quality plants, covering an estimated five hectares across five locations in Negeri Sembilan, Perak, Perlis and Johor,” she said.

Farah Fazwa said the FRIM initiative had also increased the involvement of women and youth in the village in driving the local economy and encouraging interest in bioentrepreneurship, while strengthening the cooperative’s role as a community-based economic entity.

FRIM is committed to strengthening its role in supporting local small and medium entrepreneurs to seize opportunities in the herbal industry, which is projected to reach a global market value of RM1.6 trillion by 2030.

Community-based associations or cooperatives interested in venturing into herbal plantations or developing herbal-based products can contact FRIM at farah@frim.gov.my for further information.

-- BERNAMA