MARDI Agropreneur Program produces 3,521 young entrepreneurs
KUANTAN: The Malaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institute’s (MARDI) Agropreneur Programme has produced 3,521 registered young entrepreneurs since its commencement in 2014.
Chairman of MARDI Board of Governors Datuk Mohd Fadil Osman said of the total, 280 entrepreneurs were from East Coast states, who had managed to upgrade their businesses.
He said the programme had also helped 60 percent of its participants to get out of poverty, in line with its objectives to enable young people to earn more than RM5,000 a month through the agriculture industry.
“As such, we want more young people to venture into agriculture and farming business. We aim to have 300 young entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 40 to participate in the programme.
“At present, 119 entrepreneurs have registered for our aid and guidance,” he told a press conference after officiating the closing of the Eastern Zone AGORA Young Agropreneur Programme at Cherating MARDI Agrotechnology Park here yesterday.
Also present were Pahang MARDI director Zulkafli Ismail and MARDI Promotion and Business Development Centre director Hassan Said.
On the AGORA Young Entrepreneur Progamme, Mohd Fadil said the programme, which had been implemented in Serdang, the northern zone and eastern zone, would also be expanded to Sabah, southern zone and also Sarawak after the Hari Raya celebration.
“This is part of the promotion to attract and announce the existence of the programme to the young generation. Some of them may be interested to undergo such a training, but they just don’t know where to start.
“We will also promote the programme through the social media and websites, which are more synonymous with the young people,” he said.
During the programme, he said 150 young MARDI entrepreneurs were given the much needed exposure relating to the concept of modern entrepreneurship, basics of business, agriculture technology, farming and agrobased industry. - Bernama