Rural entrepreneurs can increase income, sales by up to 30 per cent through digitalisation

JOHOR BAHRU - Rural entrepreneurs involved in business digitalisation can increase their sales and income by up to 30 per cent.

Deputy secretary-general (policy) of the Rural and Regional Development Ministry Datuk Che Murad Sayang Ramjan said the government will therefore continue to commit to exploring new markets through e-commerce platforms to market rural products.

"We had aimed to (train) 1,000 rural entrepreneurs in digitalisation this year through the Rural Entrepreneur Digitalisation Programme (PPU), but so far we have reached 1,247 entrepreneurs and we want them to be able to increase their income by 30 per cent after marketing their products online.

"During Covid-19, many entrepreneurs were unable to market their products traditionally (offline), but with the Desamall Programme and PPU Desa we managed to increase their income," he said at a press conference after officiating PPU Desa Series 5/2023 at the Johor Persada International Convention Centre here today.

He said the PPU has helped rural entrepreneurs improve their business operations, thus expanding their businesses and increasing the productivity and business management efficiency of those involved.

He said various exposures and digital training as well as assistance related to business digitalisation are provided by the ministry and strategic partners such as Shopee, Lazada, Maxis and CelcomDigi to digitalise more rural entrepreneurs.

According to Che Murad Sayang, a total of 269 rural entrepreneurs, including those from the Rubber Industry Smallholder Development Authority (Risda) and the Southeast Johor Development Board (Kejora), participated in the rural PPU in Johor Bahru before the final series, scheduled to be held in Alor Setar, Kedah next month.

For the record, up to Aug 31 this year, total sales accumulated through the Desamall Program amounted to RM5.84 million.

More than 60,000 rural entrepreneurs are under the ministry's entrepreneurial ecosystem and of that number, 5,350 rural entrepreneurs have participated in the Desamall Programme by marketing products online on e-commerce platforms. - BERNAMA