Hareeza (second left) presents a certificate to one of the participants. Also seen are Ong (left) and Bujang.
BINTULU: Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Campus’ (UPMKB) Agri-Entrepreneur Incubation Programme has seen three new companies registered.
The programme involving 11 participants, which was carried out for five months, provided the graduates with direct exposure to the world of entrepreneurship.
This is in line with the nation’s aspiration to produce graduates who excel not only academically but who are also capable, disciplined, creative, innovative, and entrepreneurial.
The programme started on July 2 and officially ended on Tuesday (Nov 27) with two modules covered — cultivation of rock melons using the fertigation system and hybrid indigenous chicken breeding.
UPM Centre of Entrepreneurial Development and Graduate Marketability (CEM) director Dr Mass Hareeza Ali closed the programme on behalf of UPM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Aini Ideris.
“This Agri-Entrepreneur Incubation Programme has been specifically designed to produce graduates who are active in agriculture entrepreneurship,” she said, adding the programme was first introduced in 2012 by UPM and the Ministry of Higher Education.
“The programme was initially implemented in UPM Serdang under the Faculty of Agriculture, but has been extended to UPM Bintulu Campus to give opportunity to the local youths in Sarawak and Sabah to get involved in agri-entrepreneurship.”
She said up till last year, the programme has produced 158 new entrepreneurs with total sales valued at RM7 million.
“With the active involvement of students in entrepreneurial activities, it hopefully can add value for them to prepare for the challenges upon graduation,” added Hareeza.
This year’s participants comprised eight from UPMKB and one each from Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, and Sandakan Polytechnic.
Among those present at the closing ceremony were UPMKB director Prof Dr Bujang Kim Huat and Agricultural Park and Development director Dr Ong Kian Huat.