Penentu Sosioekonomi terhadap Pendapatan dan Kemiskinan Luar Bandar: Kajian Kes ProjekPembangunan Pertanian Bersepadu diSamarahan,Sarawak, Malaysia

Socioeconomic determinants of income and rural poverty: A Case Study on Integrated Agricultural Development Project at Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia

Abstract

The problem of poverty among rural farmers is often given attention in the form of national development agenda through The New Economic Policy (1971-1990), The National Unity Policy (1991-1999) and The National Vision Policy (2000-2010). One of the poverty eradication programmes is through the in-situ agricultural development, i.e. Integrated Agricultural Development Project (IADP) which was implemented as an effort to increase the incomes of the farmers and also to increase productivity with optimum use of sources in line with the National Agricultural Policy 3. The programme is also responsible to assist farmers in utilising land for crops and provide agricultural assistance, supporting services and training for the running of the project. As such, this study was undertaken to identify the status, profile and the determinant factors of income and poverty among the farmers. In this study, a total of 220 farmers from the Samarahan IADP region were the main respondents including 124 farmers who cultivate pineapple and another 96 farmers who harvest short-term crops. The studyrevealed that the project was generally asuccessindecreasing the problem of povertyto 19.5% compared to 77% before the implementation of the project. The findings also showed that the large scale cultivation, basic and side incomes, involvement in associations and the technical ability had contributed to the increase of farmers’ income and the reduction of the poverty level among the agricultural producers. The logistic results showed that the limited additional jobs, the number of working family members and the dependency on natural water resources were the determinant factors for poverty among farmers. Therefore to ensure a harmonious environment and a quality life for the rural farmers at IADP Samarahan, Sarawak, and a suitable drainage system is essential to achieve a permanent livelihood.