The development of agro-entrepreneurs through Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives: A case study in Pasir Puteh Kelantan

Development of agro-entrepreneurs is an effort at improving the quality of life of the community that can be contributed by a corporation through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives . This paper analyses the contribution that has been made by a multinational company in Malaysia through the implementation of its CSR chili farming projects with a group of farmers in Kelantan’s Pasir Puteh. A total of 45 farmers involved with the CSR project was interviewed in depth to determine the extent of the CSR contribution in developing their agro - preneurship. The study adopts the constructivist approach by thematically analysing the primary data collected. The themes identified from the research analysis pertained to farmers having the opportunity to own, to operate and to manage the farm and at the same time bearing the risk of their enterprise, all indicators of the development of entrepreneurship of the farmers . In the final analysis the study found that the corporation and the government through Local Farmers Associations had all assisted in the creation of an effectively enabling environment for the entrepreneurship development of the farmers.