Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (CU)_ The Rural Development Ministry has granted RM10 million for the rural community’s Income Enhancement Programme and to guarantee the country’s food supply. I Datuk Sri Abdul Rahman Mohamad, the Deputy Minister, stated that the idea of the project under the ministry’s agencies would be implemented and will include measures to increase food production.
The Deputy Minister spoke about the plans of the program. He said, “Currently, the programme is more focused on providing assistance in the form of machinery, equipment, raw materials and guidance to members of the rural B40 community to venture into businesses and entrepreneurship to increase their incomes and lift them out of poverty”. He added, “The government is currently engaged in increasing food production to ensure food security in the country. Therefore, the Income Enhancement Programme will be used as a mechanism to ensure that the rural community also ventures into agriculture, fisheries and livestock production.”
Abdul Rahman stated that the program currently focuses on small companies such as food and beverage business as well as other small businesses like tailoring, barbershops, spas, and women’s beauty salons. He said, “For the B40 rural community involved in agriculture, fisheries and livestock production, our latest initiatives have been expanded to assist them to produce on a larger scale”. He added, “For example, poultry farmers can expand their chicken coops to increase production. Vegetable farmers can use more sophisticated machines and equipment to increase yields, which can then be marketed to the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority or sold directly.”
According to Abdul Rahman, his ministry had set aside RM800,000 for the initiative in Kedah through the Kedah Regional Development Authority. He also added that the ministry would continue to support in planning and executing integrated developments through a range of extensive programmes to help enhance the livelihood and socioeconomic status of the rural population. He said that organizations under the ministry would continue to investigate alternative strategies to guarantee that rural areas are safeguarded and given priority through a variety of large and small-scale initiatives.
