KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 — The average income of rubber smallholders has increased to RM436 per month as of May, marking a 40 per cent increase after the Agrofood initiative by the Rubber Industry Smallholder Development Authority (Risda) was implemented.
The Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKDW), in a written reply on the Parliament website, said the monthly income of rubber smallholders was RM238 per participant in December last year.
The ministry also emphasised its commitment to achieving the target of increasing the average income of Agrofood programme participants to RM500 per month by the end of 2025.
To facilitate this, the ministry, through Risda, provides basic entrepreneurship and technical skills training with short-term and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) courses.
It was responding to a question from Wan Hassan Mohd Ramli (PN-Dungun), who asked about the latest average income increase among smallholders in Risda’s Agrofood programme and the ministry’s plans to meet the RM500 per month target by 2025.
KKDW said that this year, RM2 million has been allocated to guide nearly 1,000 participants of the Agrofood programme nationwide.
“As of May 2024, 14 series of short-term and TVET courses have been launched, with the remaining 30 series to be completed by November,” the ministry said.
In response to Rodziah Ismail’s (PH-Ampang) enquiry about the significance of establishing the Madani Village Development Committee (JKDM), KKDW said establishing the committee in Sabah and several peninsular states is to avoid duplication of efforts and costs and to prevent confusion in the community.
“The establishment of JKDM is to assist the ministry in advancing rural community development efforts. JKDM will collaborate closely with the Community Development Department and non-governmental organisations to act as agents of change and coordinate socio-economic development activities aimed at eradicating hardcore poverty in rural communities.
“The ministry’s establishment of JKDM will complement the existing Village Development and Security Committee in certain states,” the ministry said.
— Bernama
