ALOR SETAR: Padi farmers in Kedah have been promised an allocation of RM3bil to upgrade their infrastructure which will enable them to achieve five padi planting seasons every two years.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that this was vital to ensure national food security and also improve the quality of life of padi farmers, although he conceded that such a hefty amount would not be easy to raise.
“The allocation is to provide drainage and irrigation systems as well as roads through padi fields under the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada), covering an area of 201,000ha,” said Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, before officiating Kedah’s Sentuhan Madani event at Mada headquarters in Ampang Jajar here yesterday.“This programme will be carried out by the Department of Agriculture, Mada and Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas).
“I hope all padi farmers will cooperate with Mada and Bernas to make this project a success and increase yields,” he said.
He added that the programme needed to be carried out on a large scale because its pilot project had shown positive results within two years.
“Mada started a pilot project for the five planting seasons every two years and it was successful.
“Now, we need to cover all padi fields under Mada.
“The monthly income of padi farmers will be elevated from RM1,200 to RM1,800 through the programme,” Anwar said.
The Sentuhan Madani event was attended by farmers, livestock breeders, fishermen and rubber tappers who received RM62.58mil in aid and incentives.
From the amount, RM28,785,090 went to 46,238 padi farmers under the Padi Farming Sector Special Aid, RM18,172,544 went to 2,468 fishermen under the Fisheries Sector Development Incentive and RM15,626,012 went to 20,755 farmers under the Crops Sector Development Incentive.
Kedah is the biggest rice grower in the country, producing one million tonnes annually and accounting for about 40% of the national rice production.
Under the 2023 Budget, the Federal Government allocated RM1.6bil for padi farming subsidies and incentives.
Among them was an allocation of RM228mil to provide a RM200 monthly allowance to 300,000 farmers for three months while they awaited the harvesting season.
Later, at the Karnival Usahawan Desa event in Sungai Petani, Anwar allocated RM8.72mil for various agricultural development programmes.
Of the amount, RM3.9mil went to the Kedah Rubber Industry Smallholder Development Authority (Risda) entrepreneurs and agrofood development programme, RM1.5mil went to the Kedah Regional Development Authority (Keda) entrepreneurs programme, RM1.2mil went towards the Income Alleviation Programme, RM1.2mil was set aside for the Rural Farmers Farming Project and RM920,000 went to the Selected Areas Integrated Development Project.
Also present were Rural and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Agriculture and Food Security Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu.
