KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) today launched the JanaVeteran initiative to help Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) veterans venture into agriculture through a ginger and chilli fertigation project and veteran agri-entrepreneur programme.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the initiative, a collaboration between Boustead Plantations Berhad (BPlant) and the Veteran Affairs Department (JHEV), opened up opportunities for MAF veterans to generate income in agri-entrepreneurship while also supporting efforts to strengthen the country’s food security.
He said that through the ginger and chilli fertigation programme, BPlant would provide a fertigation plot covering 105 hectares of land for selected MAF veterans, with 80 hectares set aside for ginger cultivation and 25 hectares for chilli cultivation.
“In the initial stage, this programme will involve 100 MAF veterans who will manage the cultivation of ginger and chilli, with a potential income of RM3,000 per month for each participant,” he said in his speech at Mindef’s breaking of fast event with media practitioners here today.
Also present were Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari, Chief of Defence Force General Datuk Mohd Nizam Jaffar and Army Chief General Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan.
Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chief executive officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin and Bernama’s deputy editor-in-chief (News Services) Nasriah Darus were in attendance.
Mohamed Khaled said the pilot project for the programme would begin in Kota Tinggi, Johor, involving 15 participants on a 12-hectare plot of land, with a target of producing 3,500 tonnes of ginger and 350 tonnes of chillies per year within three years.
He said the veteran agri-entrepreneur programme would provide retired military personnel with the opportunity to become entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector by cultivating cash crops listed in the National Food Security programme.
“As part of this effort, BPlant has identified 300 hectares of their land in the peninsula to cultivate cash crops,” he said.
At the same event, Mohamed Khaled also officiated the pre-launch of the PERWIRA Super App, developed by the Perwira Niaga Malaysia (Pernama) Network in collaboration with Mastercard International, to accelerate the digital transformation of the Mindef community by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with advanced, secure, and user-friendly features.
The application offers various functions, including financial services, an e-marketplace, exclusive discounts and loyalty rewards, and an e-learning hub.
