RM4.43 mln aid for young agricultural entrepreneurs
KOTA KINABALU: The government has channelled up to RM4.431 million in financial aid towards young agricultural entrepreneurs, nationwide up till 2017.
Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) chairman Tan Sri Badruddin Amiruddin said the aid was channelled through the young entrepreneurs Kelab Usahawan Siswazah Tani (MyAgrosis) funding programme and the In-Kind Contribution (IKC) grant.
“The MyAgrosis micro funding aid involved an allocation of RM2.197 million while the IKC grant involved RM2.234 million, which benefitted 63 and 143 participants throughout the country respectively,” he said when officiating the FAMA briefing on the IKC and MyAgrosis grants yesterday.
Badruddin went on to say that agricultural entrepreneurs in Sabah need to attend and participate in courses organised by FAMA to learn about the proper channels to go through in terms of financing their businesses.
He said FAMA is ready to provide financial assistance with an easy payment plan and zero interest, sans collateral, adding that young entrepreneurs must be willing to go through the challenges in business.
During a press conference, Badruddin also said the purpose of organising such courses is to ensure that young potential business owners do not maintain the mentality of looking for job opportunities, but create them instead.
“Youths are the nation’s biggest asset and should be developed as such, especially in the field of modern agriculture.
“This will ensure productive use of readily available resources such as vacant land to be developed for the purpose of agriculture.
“In addition, promoting and encouraging youths to venture into this field will also help the government in preventing outflow of our currency through food imports.
“This is the opportunity we can present to youths to be enterprising, create job prospects and stabilise the price of commodities,” he said.
Badruddin told the press that the programme will thereafter be brought to Sandakan, Tawau and Lahad Datu, among other districts throughout Sabah, to meet with retail chains for the potential of opening a market and developing it.