SERDANG, Jan 29 – Experts of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) have improved on its incubation programmes to create agriculture entrepreneurs with six modules, compared with three last year.

The six modules are for the cultivation of rock melons, aquaculture, free range or “kampung” chickens, food services, agri business and eco-tourism.

The enhancement follows the success of the first series of the programme, which saw the successful setting up of eight private companies and business partnerships based on agriculture by graduates of the programme, with one of them winning the Best Student’s Enterprise Award 2012. recently.

UPM Vice Chancellor, Prof. Datuk Dr. Mohd Fauzi Ramlan said following the success of the programme last year, the Ministry of Higher Education has approved an additional budget to UPM with an allocation of RM3.8 million for 2013 and RM3.5 million for 2014, compared with RM2.8 million last year.

“The programme was participated by 50 graduates of Institutions of Higher Education, in line with the government’s aim to increase the total number agriculture entrepreneurs covering production, processing and agribusiness.

“Graduates are taught every important aspect in doing business starting from the preparation of the project paper up to monitoring and marketing,” he said during the launch of the 2013 Agriculture Entrepreneur Incubation Programme here.

Datuk Fauzi said the participants were also taught various techniques in business negotiations, apart from site visits and hands-on discussion with the private sector. 

Date of Input: | Updated: | afeeq