CIMB Islamic Bank Berhad is strengthening its commitment to inclusive and sustainable development through the expansion of its flagship iTEKAD initiative, aimed at empowering underserved youth through agropreneurship.
Under the iTEKAD CIMB Islamic Melon Manis Terengganu Graduate Agropreneur Programme, the Bank has mobilised RM750,000 in seed funding since 2023, benefiting 40 underserved and asnaf students across two cohorts. The initiative has supported the cultivation of approximately 12,000 Melon Manis Terengganu (MMT) plants, a premium crop known for its strong commercial value.
Building on the success of its inaugural cohort, CIMB Islamic has now launched a second cohort, expanding training and production capabilities across four greenhouses at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) Besut Campus.
The launch was officiated by senior leaders including Novan Amirudin, alongside representatives from Yayasan DiRaja Sultan Mizan (YDSM) and UniSZA.
Novan said the programme reflects CIMB’s broader purpose of advancing customers and society through Islamic social finance.
“By integrating financial inclusion with capacity building, we empower students to develop resilient livelihoods while strengthening local agro-based value chains and enhancing income opportunities in Terengganu,” he said.
He added that the initiative is also helping to nurture a new generation of agropreneurs, equipping them to participate in high-growth sectors such as modern agriculture, while contributing to long-term food security.
Delivered in collaboration with YDSM and UniSZA, the programme provides participants with structured training, hands-on agricultural experience, and access to essential resources.
Participants from the inaugural cohort have demonstrated strong outcomes, remaining actively involved and earning an average income of around RM3,000 per harvest—highlighting agropreneurship as a viable and sustainable career pathway.
For many students, the programme has bridged the gap between academic learning and real-world application.
Bazli Amin Baharin, an agribusiness student at UniSZA, said the initiative strengthened both his technical and entrepreneurial skills.
“Being involved in crop management, financial planning and marketing has built my confidence to manage my own cultivation projects and pursue agropreneurship commercially,” he said.
Similarly, agricultural biotechnology student Nur Syazwani Safi Sukri noted that the programme provided valuable exposure beyond the classroom.
“The hands-on experience helped me see agriculture from a different perspective and recognise my potential in this field,” she said.
The programme forms part of Bank Negara Malaysia’s iTEKAD initiative, a national platform that leverages Islamic social finance instruments such as zakat, waqaf, and impact investments to support underserved communities.
In addition to the Terengganu agropreneur programme, CIMB Islamic has rolled out other initiatives under iTEKAD, including entrepreneurship programmes in collaboration with educational institutions and support schemes for micro-entrepreneurs.
Through these efforts, CIMB Islamic continues to promote financial inclusion, build economic resilience, and create sustainable income opportunities—particularly for underserved and asnaf communities nationwide.