Graduate Success Stories

The Beginning

Ahmad Rizal graduated with a degree in business administration in 2021 but struggled to find meaningful employment during the pandemic. With limited career prospects and family land sitting idle, he decided to take a chance on aquaculture after hearing about Cave Aqua Skills from a friend.

"I had zero experience with farming, let alone shrimp cultivation. But I knew I needed to create my own opportunities rather than wait for someone to hire me," Ahmad recalls.

The Journey

Current Status

Ahmad now operates 2 hectares of intensive shrimp ponds with advanced aeration systems. He's planning a third pond for 2026 and has become a mentor to new farmers in his area. He recently presented his success story at a SEAFDEC regional conference on youth entrepreneurship in aquaculture.

The Background

Sarah Lim spent 25 years as a secondary school science teacher in Sibu. Approaching retirement, she wanted to create a business that would provide income security and keep her active. Having grown up in a rural area, she was drawn to aquaculture but needed proper training to turn her childhood interest into a viable business.

"At 52, some people thought I was crazy to start a fish farm. But I've always believed you're never too old to learn something new," Sarah explains with a smile.

The Approach

Sarah's background in science proved advantageous. She approached tilapia farming methodically, keeping detailed records of every variable—water quality, feeding rates, growth metrics, and costs. This data-driven approach allowed her to continuously optimize operations.

Starting with 3 ponds on 1.5 hectares of land purchased with retirement savings, Sarah gradually expanded to 8 ponds totaling 4 hectares. She focused on GIFT tilapia strain, which proved more profitable than local varieties.

Innovation & Differentiation

Rather than competing solely on price in the commodity market, Sarah developed relationships with local restaurants and hotels, providing premium-grade, consistently-sized fish on a predictable schedule. This B2B approach commands 15-20% higher prices than wet market sales.

She also invested in a small processing facility, offering cleaned and portioned fish to restaurants, adding value and increasing profit margins.

Key Success Factors

• Scientific Approach: Maintained detailed records allowing data-driven decision making
• Quality Focus: Prioritized fish quality over maximum production, building reputation
• Market Diversification: Developed multiple sales channels to reduce risk
• Continuous Learning: Regularly attends workshops and stays connected with Cave Aqua Skills
• Value Addition: Processing facility increased profit margins by 25-30%

Current Operations

Sarah has been fully retired from teaching since 2023 and runs her tilapia farm with her husband and 5 employees. She supplies 15+ restaurants, 3 hotels, and still sells at weekend markets. Annual net profit exceeds her teacher's pension by more than double, and she finds the work more fulfilling than she anticipated.

"I thought teaching was my calling, but at 57, I've discovered a new passion. Every day brings new challenges, but seeing my business thrive and providing livelihoods for my employees is incredibly rewarding," Sarah reflects.

The Community Challenge

Kampung Teluk Serabang is a small fishing village of about 250 people near Bintulu. For generations, residents relied on traditional fishing, but declining fish stocks and competition from commercial trawlers made this increasingly unsustainable. Young people were leaving for cities, and the community was aging.

In 2021, village leaders partnered with Cave Aqua Skills to train 15 community members in seaweed cultivation—an opportunity to utilize their coastal location while requiring relatively low capital investment.

The Implementation

Cave Aqua Skills provided comprehensive training for the initial 15 farmers, covering Eucheuma seaweed cultivation, line system setup, harvesting techniques, and post-harvest handling. The program included:

• 4-week intensive training at Cave Aqua Skills facility
• On-site support during initial setup and first two harvest cycles
• Connection to buyers (carrageenan processing companies)
• Ongoing technical support through alumni network

Results & Impact

Economic Impact

Within 18 months, the success of the initial group led to 20 additional community members joining the program. Total cultivation area expanded from 12 hectares to 35 hectares. Monthly production now averages 15 tons of dry seaweed, generating approximately RM 60,000 in cooperative revenue.

Individual farmers earn RM 1,500-3,000 monthly depending on their cultivation area—comparable to or better than what they earned from traditional fishing with more stable income.

Social Impact

The seaweed program has transformed the village:

• Youth Retention: 8 young adults (aged 20-30) have returned from cities to join the seaweed business
• Women's Employment: 60% of active farmers are women, creating income opportunities for a previously underemployed demographic
• Community Cohesion: The cooperative model strengthened social bonds and collaborative problem-solving
• Infrastructure: Success enabled community investment in a shared drying facility and small processing equipment

Future Plans

The cooperative is now exploring value-added processing (producing cleaned, grade-separated carrageenan for direct sale to food manufacturers) which could increase revenues by 40-50%. They're also considering diversifying into Gracilaria cultivation for the growing agar-agar market.

Cave Aqua Skills continues to provide consulting support as the cooperative expands, and Kampung Teluk Serabang has become a model case study for rural community development through aquaculture in Malaysia.