FROM B40 TO THRIVING: RETIRED NAVY EARNS RM6,000 MONTHLY THROUGH BACKYARD FARMING

By Fadzlina Abu Bakar Sidek

LUMUT, March 28 (Bernama) -- While many lament life’s hardships, a retired Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) serviceman chose a different path, transforming his family’s economic future through determination and resourcefulness.

Guided by his belief that “being in the B40 group is not something to be pitied or passed down,” Hamdan Ahmad Sapli, 58, turned the modest space around his home in Batu 10, Lekir, into a productive micro-farm. Today, he earns up to RM6,000 a month by rearing laying hens.

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“We must dare to start small from home. Even if the space is limited, don’t leave it idle. Take the first step, even if it’s just five chickens. Stop complaining...we must change our own circumstances,” he told Bernama recently.

Hamdan began his journey in April 2022 during the Movement Control Order (MCO) amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The father of five said egg shortages sparked the idea at the time, when purchases were limited to just five eggs per household.

“From there, I discussed with my son about raising laying hens to ensure our family’s food security. I learned everything from YouTube,” he said, adding that he started with 30 hens bought at RM7 each.

By August 2022, he said, the hens had begun laying eggs.

Today, Hamdan manages more than 60 adult hens, including Australorp, White Leghorn, Coral, and Lohman Brown breeds, producing about 30 eggs daily, each sold at 60 sen.

He chose laying hens due to their low maintenance and minimal space requirements compared to other livestock.

“Each hen consumes about 110 to 120 grammes of feed twice daily, with 16 per cent protein content. I provide more feed in the afternoon as egg formation occurs at night,” he explained.

His chicken coop is also uniquely designed using an integrated farming system, where chicken droppings fall directly into a catfish pond beneath.

This not only reduces odour and flies but also supports fish farming, with catfish later used as an additional protein source in feed production, he said.

Beyond poultry, Hamdan cultivates a variety of crops, including kangkung, long beans, mustard greens, Brazilian spinach, pak choy, ginger, turmeric, lemongrass, and pandan. He also keeps honey bees, harvesting honey every two months.

His approach aligns with calls by Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad for greater adoption of food security practices under the Perak Sejahtera 2030 Plan.

Hamdan sells his produce -- vegetables, fish, and eggs -- to regular customers and visitors who frequent his farm. His inspiring story, which went viral on social media, has even attracted visitors from the United States and Indonesia.

Passionate about sharing knowledge, he now conducts courses on poultry farming and urban agriculture, particularly targeting the B40 community. Fees range from RM50 to RM100, and participants from Brunei, Singapore, and Indonesia have joined his online sessions.

Since launching the programme in 2023, he has trained around 6,000 participants.

Notably, Hamdan offers free educational visits for school students, aiming to instil awareness about agriculture and food security among the younger generation. He has also received support and assistance from various government agencies and departments.

-- BERNAMA