This blog was updated on 17 April 2025, for more information connect with our team: https://www.easystore.co/contact 

How Langit is Empowering Malaysia’s Rural Farmers Through E-commerce

In Malaysia, many rural communities — especially in Sabah and Sarawak — still face unstable incomes that make it difficult to sustain a basic livelihood. 

Most families in these areas rely heavily on agriculture as their primary source of income.

Without proper market access, farmers are often forced to sell their produce at unfairly low prices. 

This creates a cycle of poverty, with little opportunity to improve their livelihoods.

Recognizing this problem, four friends — each with experience in community development through a local non-profit — decided to take action.

Founded as a social enterprise, Langit was created to help rural farmers break out of poverty and reach wider markets, providing value for their quality produce while encouraging sustainable, chemical-free farming.

Today, we’re diving into Langit’s story — how it started, what drives them, and the impact they’re making.

1. Can You Tell Us About Langit?

We’re a social enterprise dedicated to helping smallholder farmers from East Malaysia market their heirloom agricultural products. 

Our mission is to improve rural livelihoods and promote sustainable farming by introducing chemical-free methods and appropriate technologies.

Langit was founded by four of us — Melisa (project management), Zi (former actuary), Lilian (ex-chiropractor), and Yong Ling (designer). 

We first crossed paths while working at a non-profit, where we witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by rural communities.

2. What Inspired You to Start Langit?

While working on infrastructure projects in rural areas — like providing clean water — we quickly noticed a deeper pattern: poverty would persist unless economic opportunities improved.

The idea of Langit sparked when we visited Lawas, Sarawak, and tasted the local rice. 

It was incredibly delicious — something we couldn’t find in KL — yet it was so abundant there that leftovers were fed to dogs. 

We realized this quality produce deserved a better platform, and the farmers deserved fairer market access. 

So we connected the dots and started Langit.

3. Does Langit Engage in Other Social Initiatives?

At the moment, our focus remains on agriculture. 

It’s the heart of the communities we work with and the reason Langit exists. 

Initially, these farmers produced high-quality crops, but with everyone selling the same thing locally, prices dropped and excess harvests went to waste. 

Langit was born to address this problem.

4. How Does Langit Support These Communities?

Our goal is to break this cycle by connecting farmers with markets across Malaysia. 

By adding value to their products and creating new income opportunities, we aim to uplift their livelihoods.

We started in 2015, selling just 30kg of rice via Facebook — and it sold out in two days. 

That early success motivated us to expand, optimizing the value these crops could bring to their growers.

5. Why Did You Step Into E-commerce?

Initially, E-commerce wasn’t part of our plan. 

We just wanted an online presence where people could discover us. 

But by 2018, with limited physical retail partnerships, we realized the online space offered a chance to reach customers directly — and that’s when we started selling our products online.

6. Why Did You Choose EasyStore?

Yong Ling, our tech-savvy co-founder, did some research and found that EasyStore fit our needs. 

It was simple, affordable, and user-friendly — an ideal starting point for a small enterprise like ours venturing into e-commerce.

7. What’s the Biggest Challenge in Running Langit?

Regulations. We naively jumped into one of the most heavily regulated agricultural sectors — rice. 

We discovered we needed five different licenses just to operate.

Beyond that, managing a business spread between Sabah, Sarawak, and Peninsular Malaysia is tough. 

Balancing community engagement with market demands requires constant effort — we can’t focus on one and neglect the other.

8. What’s the Most Memorable Experience So Far?

One unforgettable moment was when a farmer from the village we work closely with visited KL. 

We showed them where their rice was being used — places like Atlas, The Grand Hyatt (where Chef Rolf features their rice), and ended the day with a dining experience at Dewakan.

For the farmers, it was powerful to see where their hard work had ended up — a “report card” of their effort after three years.

9. What’s the Future Vision for Langit?

We’re actively looking to expand our reach by partnering with more businesses and growing our online presence. 

Strengthening our supply chain and pursuing organic certifications for our farmers is also on our agenda.

Ultimately, we want to help more rural communities by connecting them with wider markets — both offline and online.

Langit’s journey is a great example of how social enterprises can bridge the gap between rural communities and urban markets. 

By ensuring these farmers’ quality products aren’t wasted, Langit is making a meaningful difference — both in livelihoods and in Malaysia’s growing food industry.

Check them out here:

• Website

• Facebook

• Instagram

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