ENTREPRENEURIAL PROGRAMS AND LIVELIHOOD TRANSFORMATION AMONG FISHERMEN IN MALAYSIA: EVIDENCE FROM THE MALAYSIAN FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Abstract

Entrepreneurship has become a central strategy for transforming the livelihoods of Malaysia’s fishing communities. This study examines how the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (MFDA) facilitates entrepreneurship through financial assistance, capacity-building programs, and community-based initiatives. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, the research analyzes secondary data drawn from MFDA reports, consultancy studies, and academic publications between 2018 and 2022. The findings reveal that MFDA’s initiatives, particularly the Entrepreneur Development Program (EDP), Change and Upgrade Product (CUP) Grant, High Impact Product (HIP) Grant, and Young Agropreneur Grant (YAG), have successfully diversified fishermen’s income sources while enhancing self-reliance and innovation. The integration of the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (SLF) and Entrepreneurial Development Theory provides insight into how institutional support strengthens fishermen’s access to financial, human, and social capital. Despite these achievements, the study identifies challenges related to limited access to credit, slow technology adoption, and the need for more structured monitoring mechanisms. Overall, the findings underscore MFDA’s role in bridging policy and practice through inclusive, entrepreneurship-oriented governance. The study concludes that entrepreneurship within Malaysia’s fisheries sector contributes not only to income generation but also to sustainable development and social resilience, offering valuable lessons for future policy interventions.