Agro-entrepreneur initiative helps increase family income, expand knowledge

By Dewi Abdul Rahman

PETALING JAYA, April 26 — The Agricultural Entrepreneur Initiative (INTAN) under the People’s Income Initiative (IPR) @ PJ City Food Valley is transforming its participants’ lives, particularly those from the B40 group.

The opportunity to join the programme not only increases income but also broadens participants’ knowledge, especially in agriculture.

Rosnah Bidin, 64, said that since joining INTAN last year, her family’s life has improved, particularly in supporting her daily expenses.

“It is a joy when the crops bear fruit, and I even want to encourage others to take part.

“This is a very good effort to support the B40 group, and it also provides opportunities for those seeking employment or additional income,” she said at the project farm in Pelangi Damansara.

Rosnah added that they receive a RM2,100 monthly allowance, which has eased her family’s financial burden.

Another participant, S. Patmanagam, 56, described the programme as effective in assisting the low-income community and hopes it will continue in the future.

“I truly appreciate the government’s effort to give us the chance to engage in agricultural activities like this. I hope the programme will be extended to continue supporting the B40 group.

“Youths should also develop an interest in agriculture, as it is a great way to increase income. You will never know until you try,” he said.

Meanwhile, SelAgro Solutions Sdn Bhd operations manager Muhammad Mujib Mohd Nordin said the fertigation crops cultivated using Internet of Things (IoT)-based technology had successfully yielded 10 tonnes of cucumbers in just five days.

Vegetable cultivation through this method could generate up to RM55,000 in just 45 days.

He said the smart fertigation system, equipped with IoT technology, is fully utilised for fertiliser and water management to enhance crop effectiveness.

In August last year, Economy Minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli announced that the government had allocated RM100 million this year for the implementation of the INTAN-IPR project on a Request for Proposal (RFP) basis by selected private companies.

The initiative aims to enhance the effectiveness of poverty eradication, increase people’s income, strengthen food supply sustainability, and assist efforts to control food prices in the market.