PROFILE OF SUCCESSFUL SMEs YOUNG AGROPRENEURS AT NORTH PENINSULAR MALAYSIA: DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS

Abstract

Issues related to entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector in particular involving SMEs young agropreneurs are gaining attention in Malaysia. To date, the agricultural sector remains the third most important contributor to Malaysia's economic growth after the services and manufacturing sectors. Development and efforts to empower the agricultural sector are still lacking in the involvement of young people, especially those who are highly educated in boosting the country's economy and producing successful SMEs young agropreneurs need to be addressed immediately. So, it becomes a necessity to develop a profile of successful SMEs young agropreneur so that the landscape of the agricultural sector can be transformed from a sector pioneered by the elderly to young people with entrepreneurial mindsets, entrepreneurial skills, and entrepreneurial attitudes. Therefore, the objective of this study is to develop the profile of successful SME young agropreneurs in the North of Peninsular Malaysia. This study was conducted using quantitative methods by distributing questionnaire forms to SMEs young agropreneurs who are participants of the Young Agropreneur Program. A total of 289 data were analyzed using SPSS software version 23. The findings show that the majority of SMEs young agropreneurs succeed in higher education by graduating with a Diploma and Bachelor's Degree and are involved in agricultural production activities such as crops, livestock, and fisheries. The implications of this study are expected to change the perceptions and mentality of young people towards the agricultural sector and further able to attract the interest of young people, especially those who are highly educated to venture into the agricultural sector as a lucrative career.