Evaluating the Issues of the Ecosystem in Supporting the Development of Agropreneur Muda in Malaysia

Abstract

The primary aim of the establishment of the Agropreneur Muda program was to maximize Malaysian youth participation in the agricultural sector through adequate training, financial assistance, and entrepreneurial support. However, the ineffectiveness of its implementation thus far is largely due to an ecosystem that is not comprehensive enough to nurture successful young agropreneurs in the country. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of the supporting ecosystem for the program, with particular attention to the role of government in policy planning, institutional support, financial allocation, training modules, and market opportunities. Grounded in the concept of human capital development, the study highlights that the effectiveness of the ecosystem is influenced by the technical, managerial, and entrepreneurial skills of participants. This study employed a qualitative method using semi-structured questions, conducted through in-depth interviews with key participants in the Agropreneur Muda program to obtain comprehensive findings. The findings indicate that while efforts towards improving the ecosystem of this agricultural start-up program have been initiated, its effectiveness has not been fully realized due to challenges such as the misuse of resources, low adoption of digital applications, and limited inter-agency coordination. Therefore, to prevent such issues from recurring, it is suggested that an integrated and innovation-driven ecosystem be effectively and comprehensively applied to ensure the long-term sustainability of young farmers and the fulfilment of the core objectives of Agropreneur Muda.