UiTM Fosters Quintuple Helix Collaboration

Tempe Nismilan: UiTM Strengthens Quintuple Helix Collaborations on Food Production through Knowledge Transfer

Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Negeri Sembilan Branch, is helping residents of Kampung Bemban in Senaling, Malaysia, translate food biotechnology knowledge into community enterprise through its Tempe Nismilan project. Delivered under the Komuniti@UniMadani programme, the initiative combines practical food production skills, food safety training and industry collaboration to support community-led development.

The project reached 50 community members, including 43 participants who obtained food handler training certificates and one who earned a Halal Executive Certificate. Participants learned to apply microbial fermentation to produce tempeh, a traditional fermented soybean food, alongside hygienic handling practices and an understanding of halal management. Project monitoring reported improvements in participants’ knowledge, attitudes, skills and practices related to food handling.

Supporting the aspirations of SDG 1 (No Poverty), Tempe Nismilan lays the foundation for income-generating activities through local production and sales. Follow-up monitoring showed that participants continued producing tempeh for the market after the training ended. These early achievements provide motivation and a practical starting point for community enterprise. Sustaining regular production and strengthening marketing capabilities are central to the project’s direction, helping participants develop their skills and pursue supplementary income opportunities.

The initiative also supports SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by strengthening the community’s capacity to produce nutritious food. Tempeh is a protein-rich, soy-based food that can contribute to a balanced diet. By combining fermentation skills with food safety training, the project equips participants to produce food with greater attention to nutritional value, hygiene and responsible handling.

Partnerships are central to these outcomes. In line with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), UiTM worked with the Kampung Bemban Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) and Jempol Soya Enterprise to connect academic expertise with community resources and industry experience. Knowledge transfer subsequently extended beyond the original participants, and on 25 July 2026, Kampung Bemban participants served as speakers and facilitators at a tempeh workshop in the Moh Ghombau Berghompeh programme. This one-day, hands-on workshop was attended by members of the community in Rembau, Negeri Sembilan. Their transition from learners to community trainers demonstrates the initiative’s capacity to extend the reach of university knowledge.

Viewed through an environmental, social and governance (ESG) lens, the project’s strongest contributions are community capability development and participatory coordination. Training supports the social dimension, while JPKK involvement and project monitoring provide a foundation for accountable implementation. Proposed environmental measures include reducing rejected products, managing organic waste and tracking water and energy use per kilogram of tempeh. These measures offer a practical direction for embedding resource efficiency into future production.

Together, these collaborations provide a foundation for a quintuple helix approach, linking academia, industry, government and civil society, with environmental sustainability as a further development priority. Tempe Nismilan demonstrates how university expertise can help communities build the capacity to produce, market and share knowledge. Participants’ continued involvement provides a strong basis for the next phase: strengthening product quality, expanding market connections and adopting responsible production practices so that the initiative can grow into a sustained, community-led enterprise.