PETALONG JAYA: Today, the Ministry of Defence introduced the JanaVeteran programme aimed at assisting veterans who have entered the agricultural sector.
The initiative, a joint effort by Boustead Plantations Bhd (BPlant) and the veterans’ affairs department, centers on agri-entrepreneurship via a ginger and chili fertigation project.
According to a Bernama report, Defence Minister Khaled Nordin emphasized the initiative’s ability to assist veterans in earning an income and bolstering Malaysia’s food security.
As part of the ginger and chili fertigation program, BPlant will allocate a 105-hectare area for farming purposes; this includes cultivating ginger across 80 hectares and chilies over 25 hectares.
In the first stage of the program, 100 veterans will be involved in overseeing the farming activities, where each individual could earn up to RM3,000 per month.
He mentioned that the trial initiative would commence in Kota Tinggi, Johor, where 15 ex-servicemen will work on a 12-hectare area aiming to produce 3,500 tons of ginger and 350 tons of chili peppers per year over a span of three years.
Moreover, a program for experienced agrarian entrepreneurs seeks to convert retired military individuals into farming business owners by growing crop varieties included in the National Food Security initiative.
BPlant has recognized 300 hectares of terrain for this project.
Khaled revealed this information at the breaking-fast event hosted by the defense ministry in Kuala Lumpur. The gathering saw the presence of prominent ministry officials along with military leaders.