Kuala ibai: Every morning, while most postgraduate students are preparing for lectures, Fatin Nur Atillia Abdul Razak is probably among rows of ripening sweet melons, checking leaves and testing fruit for firmness, carving out a side income. The 28-year-old Master's candidate in Agrotechnology (Crop Science) at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) has found an unlikely balance between academic research and hands-on farming, turning her field of study into a modest but growing business.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Fatin's introduction to sweet melon cultivation came in 2020 during her internship at an agricultural company. What began as practical training soon evolved into something more enduring. After enrolling in her master's programme under Associate Professor Dr Wan Zaliha Wan Sembok, Fatin was offered the opportunity to join a sweet melon cultivation project linked to her research, taking theories from the lecture hall straight into the field.
Fatin joined the programme in the middle of last year as her research focuses on melon crops. It gave her the opportunity to apply academic knowledge in a real-world setting and gain practical experience. She shared these insights after attending the Teraju-UMT Community Project Impact Recognition Ceremony at UMT Bukit Kor on Wednesday.
The Terengganu Sweet Melon Project, a collaboration between Unit Peneraju Agenda Bumiputera (Teraju) and UMT, includes Fatin as one of its 28 participants. Her first season was a cautious experiment, with 1,000 polybags planted, each holding a single plant. She harvested between 300 and 500 kilogrammes of fruit, as the cycle began near the tail end of the planting period.
Fatin explained that sweet melons take about 65 days to mature before they can be harvested and marketed, emphasizing the importance of close monitoring during this period. All of her produce has been marketed to schools and clinics in Hulu Terengganu, where there are relatively few melon growers. She noted that current supply does not meet demand, leading her to focus on the Hulu Terengganu market, particularly direct sales to schools and clinics.
While the venture remains a side income as she completes her studies, it has provided more than financial support for Fatin. The experience has sharpened her technical knowledge, strengthened her confidence, and allowed her to establish her own reputation. Customer feedback has been encouraging, with buyers praising the fruit's quality, citing their crispness and sweetness as main attractions.
As a native of Hulu Terengganu, Fatin hopes her participation in the project will help expand her production and grow her business gradually. Through the programme, she aims to increase her output, reduce reliance on external suppliers, and expand sales through the melons she cultivates.