PUTRAJAYA, Sept 19 — The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry, in collaboration with Agrobank, will empower the young agropreneur community through the Graduate Agricultural Youth Development Incubator Programme (Probest 2.0 2024).
With a RM1.69 million allocation, the programme is a youth development initiative aimed at providing opportunities to youth, especially the asnaf and B40 groups, in institutions of higher learning to gain entrepreneurship knowledge, besides helping them generate income.
Agrobank president cum chief executive officer Datuk Tengku Ahmad Badli Shah Raja Hussin said Probest 2.0 2024 would expose the youth to training and technical guidance which focus on agriculture-based industries like crops and livestock.
"This youth agropreneur development programme involves 12-month participation and is not just focused on the aspect of production, but also pays attention to business skills.
"During the first six months, participants will be provided with a RM500 monthly allowance, start-up funds, project equipment, entrepreneurship training, and project technical assistance,” he said in a statement today.
In the remaining six months, participants will be guided to expand their businesses by applying for a Youth Agropreneur grant, adding that those who complete the programme will be encouraged to find new sites to expand their businesses.
"This initiative gives students, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds, the opportunity to learn skills that can be turned into a source of income," Tengku Ahmad Badli said.
Through Probest, Agrobank targets participants to achieve additional income of RM1,500 to RM2,000 a month through their sales and to leading companies.
Agrobank has allocated RM2.292 million to implement the Probest 2.0 programme, with 61 selected students getting the opportunity to participate this time.
Priority will be given to participants from asnaf and B40 groups and the institutions of higher learning involved in the programme are Universiti Teknologi Mara Samarahan and three vocational colleges.
Agrobank's Probest aims to reduce the economic gap and open up opportunities for those who do not have access to resources and capital, in addition to encouraging youth to venture into the agricultural sector.
— Bernama
