PUTRAJAYA, July 24 — The Economy Ministry has set up the opportunity for strategic cooperation under the Inisiatif Pendapatan Rakyat (IPR) Usahawan Tani (IPR Intan) programme to private companies and individuals keen on working on modern agricultural infrastructure.
Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli said the ministry will invite strategic partners from private companies and individuals through the request for proposal (RFP) method for modern agriculture companies prepared to cooperate to build and manage this modern agriculture infrastructure at sites acquired by the Economy Ministry.
He said invitations will also be made to private companies and individuals who want to work on the IPR Intan project on their own land similar to that done by public sector agencies under the same programme so far.
“We have received many requests from private companies to work together for this project and we will hold meetings and discuss before making any decisions,” he said at the launch of the IPR Intan programme here today.
He said the Economy Ministry will provide a profit-sharing business model to participants from the B40 and hardcore poor as well as modern agricultural companies that are operators and managers.
For projects on private land and private companies, Rafizi said the ministry will provide grants for the construction of agricultural infrastructure subject to conditions that will be set later.
As a result of cooperation with the public sector, the Economy Ministry has identified sites matched with participants from the poor in eight states, with a land area of more than 404.69 hectares.
In collaboration with the private sector and individuals, Rafizi also hopes that the reserved land for the IPR-Intan project can increase, thus providing an opportunity for more participants.
The IPR Intan Centre under the Economy Ministry is expected to increase the income of the people through agricultural technology to produce more capable agricultural entrepreneurs as well as increase food production in the country, especially in the crop and aquaculture sectors.
The programme also targets participants comprising 40 per cent of university graduates and 60 per cent of IPR and e-Kasih participants under the Economy Ministry.
Rafizi said the programme offers 130 trainers places to take part in technology-based agricultural training over a period of two to three years and the focus of training is in the agricultural crop and aquaculture sectors.
“I hope this project can help in transforming Malaysia’s agricultural sector by creating a more advanced and high-tech agricultural ecosystem and through IPR Intan, can become the main reference for the agricultural industry, whether in terms of innovation, knowledge or training,” he said.
Through the IPR Intan project involving the cooperation between the Economy Ministry and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), we hope to make a significant contribution to address this issue.
Meanwhile, UPM vice-chancellor Datuk Prof Mohd Roslan Sulaiman said that through this initiative, the government has invested as much as RM31.5 million in the form of crop and fish farming infrastructure, in a 26.3-hectare Agricultural Industry Centre of Excellence at Ladang Puchong, UPM.
“This programme introduces smart agricultural technology that will maximise agricultural and livestock yields by using resources more efficiently.
“With the construction of this centre, we will not only produce more capable agricultural entrepreneurs but also increase food production in the country, especially in the crop and aquaculture sectors,” he said.
The government will continue to support participants by providing operating capital of RM3.2 million per round as well as guiding them to earn a net income of RM2,000 to RM2,500 per month.
“This is an important step in our efforts to improve the quality of life of Malaysians and reduce the economic gap of the poor/hardcore poor. The government’s desire is to ensure that the people can enjoy a good life with a common spirit of Malaysia Madani,” he said.
