Improving Farmers’ Incomes Is Among NCER Steps
Bernama, Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 (Bernama) — Diversifying the source of income for farmers, besides providing immediate and direct assistance to hardcore poor families, are among the initiatives outlined in the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) Blueprint.
The NCER blueprint was launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in Alor Setar Monday.
The initiatives on strategies to strengthen social equity also state that steps will be taken to assist small-scale rural entrepreneurs to expand their economic activities, besides improving access to microcredit and financing schemes.
The initiatives are among a number of programmes to raise the income levels and improve the wellbeing of rural communities in the Northern region, comprising Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Perak.
It says that despite the considerable progress in reducing the overall poverty levels in the Northern Region over the last few decades, poverty still remains a pressing issue.
The incidence of poverty in the Northern Region, with the exception of Penang, is higher than the national average of 5.7 percent.
In 2004 Kedah and Perlis recorded the highest poverty levels of seven percent of households and 6.3 percent respectively, and this is largely due to the population’s high dependency on traditional forms of agriculture which have low economic value, as well as its relatively low levels of education attainment.
These factors may restrict access to higher income-generation opportunities.
The Northern Region also registered the second-lowest average monthly household income amongst the six regions in Malaysia – in 2004, the average monthly household income in the Northern Region was RM2,477 against the national average of RM3,249.
To address this income disparity, economic development programmes with large private sector corporations will be encouraged to invest in the region, besides getting local communites involved in farming and handicraft activities.
It says these economic development initiatives will be complemented by social development initiatives targeted firstly at raising the capacity of rural communities to participate in the economy, and secondly at providing immediate direct assistance to certain groups such as the hardcore poor.
Among the efforts that to be carried out is improving padi farmers’ incomes by improving yield and productivity such as by setting up a Seeds Research and Development (R&D) Centre in Kangar, Perlis, which will generate high quality seeds.
Other initiatives include generating alternative incomes for them such as the cultivation of mango trees on padi field bunds, aquaculture activities in canals that will be deepened, harvesting padi stalks for animal feed and planting corn on idle land.
On harcore poor, it says the NCER implementation organisation will go to rural areas to identify the people, relocate them to proper government-provided housing and help them sustain their immediate basic needs.
In addition, the hardcore poor will be given assistance to obtain a more sustainable source of income, such as by becoming contract farmers or contract workers in handicraft centres.
Under the NCER Blueprint, the small-scale rural entreprenuers will be provided with more opportunities for financial assistance through expanded microcredit schemes for them to set up small-scale businesses such as organic fertiliser distribution, satellite farming and aquaculture activities.
However in ensuring the viability and sustainability of these businesses, only robust and proven business models will be encouraged, including partnering with larger companies.
In improving access to basic education, an “Adopt a School” programme will be launched with the private sector initiatives, and the NCER implementation organisation will identify the number of disadvantaged schools in the region for the project.
Vocational training for younger age groups will also be carried out with programmes targeting unemployed youths aged 15 and above, including graduates, with training programmes focused on matching supply with the demands of skills.
Another targets secondary school students by introducing a new vocational curriculum that will be integrated into the curriculum of selected schools in the region.
Under the programme, students will only take basic subjects such as languages and mathematics, and focus the rest of their school time on learning vocations suitable for the rural economy, such as modern handicraft production, modern agriculture and agribusiness.
– BERNAMA