A new co-op to rid poverty

KSKB

Have you ever came across with Koperasi Sabah Kita Berhad? It is a non-government agency but have direct links with the government. The organization aims and goals wss to provide aids to the society to free them from poverty. Actually the KSKB now is aiming for the Keningau district. I'm hoping to see this non-government organization to develop the people income in other places in Sabah such as Tamparuli, Tuaran, Ranau, Kota Belud and Kota Marudu where a lot of people is still in shackle of poverty. What we can do to help the society and what can we contribute for the society? This two question need to be answered by all the citizen of Sabah and hopefully your can at least contribute something for the people of Sabah not just "Talking Rubbish" but there was nothing being achieved yet. To get more information about this so call KSKB please read below article... HG  

A new co-op to rid poverty

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman announced a grant of RM1 million for the Koperasi Sabah Kita Berhad - a brainchild of ex-CM Tan Sri Harris Mohd Salleh to help rural farmers and breeders - to generate its funds.

He said the State Government always supported any effort aimed at the development of the people in rural areas.

"I hope the grant will be fully utilised for the benefit of the cooperative members," he said at the launching of the "Ladang Berpadu 3" organised by KSKB at Kg Ferry, Saturday. He said Sabah is blessed with wide hinterland and that the implementation of agro-based projects must be supported not only by the State Government but also related bodies and private sector.

Formed last year, KSKB has more than 40 participants and from 10 lots, it has extended to 40 lots.

"There are 28 more lots in the pipeline. Eventually the cooperative hopes to extend to about 20,000 lots of one acre each per farmer throughout the State," he said.

Other than Harris, the board includes Datuk Monggoh Orow (Secretary), John Lo (Treasurer) and directors Tan Sri Herman Luping, Datuk Paul Wong Kaw Chai, Haji Abdul Hakim Kala Khan, Raymund Tan Get Sing, Datuk Awang Sahak Awang Salleh, Yunop Marinking, Mohd Ruhul Amin, Berman Angkap and Datuk Dr Chang Kuan Hiong. Harris believes the new strategy and programme introduced by KSKB would succeed in eradicating poverty once and for all.

Explaining the concept, he said an acre of land is developed into integrated farming whereby the cash crops would provide and ensure the farmers have a steady monthly income continuously after 12 months while the permanent crops ensure, at the end of the day, a windfall sum amounting to a few hundred thousand ringgit.

"The programme would also create permanent jobs and keep the farmers fully occupied," he said.

Citing farmer Anik Ambawid whose land is being developed by KSKB, he said Anik sells 10 tonnes of lemongrass to the company at 65 sen a kilo or RM7,000. Anik he said still had 10 tonnes worth of lemongrass on his farm.

KSKB would resell the lemongrass to a factory in Membakut at 70 sen a kilo, making only a profit of 5 sen per kilo. The Membakut factory would process the lemongrass into aromatic oil and for cooking.

Harris noted that poverty is the number one concern of developing countries around the world. "These countries have been formulating programme after programme but so far none have been able to eradicate poverty in total.

"Thus, rural people in these developing countries remain poor generation after generation because government policies and programmes are not practical and more importantly because of single crops," he said.

For a start, KSKB is developing 10 lots out of 40 lots of land.

The development of the lots was contributed by Datuk James Pang and 12 individuals. Harris said the objective of KSKB is to augment and supplement what the State and Federal Governments are doing to improve the living standards of people in rural areas.

He said successive governments have been concentrating on bringing development to the people in the form of feeder roads, kampung roads, water and power supplies, educational facilities and better housing.

"However, the economies of the rural people remain the same despite the improved facilities."

Therefore, KSKB was formed to specifically provide economic development once and for all by introducing better farming methods that provide farmers with sustainable and steady income.

In this respect, he said farmers' lands that have been left idle from generation to generation would be fully developed.

"In a nutshell, the Co-operative's main objectives is more specific and micro in concept that will create jobs as well," he said.

He said strategic programme is referred to as "Integrated Rural Farming".

The aim is to carry out farming on one acre land namely: 3-in-1 cattle project that provide gas for cooking, organic fertiliser and cattle for sale after 12 months of intensive feeding 400 trees of Gaharu planted at 10x10 intervals within the one acre lot as permanent crop.

This is also known as the long term commercial crop, cash crop, either rice, tapioca, lemongrass or corn as short term commercial crops that will give the farmers a monthly income of cash.

Lemongrass and Gaharu are planted as a quick growing cash crop and permanent crop, respectively.

The lemongrass could be harvested within 12 months while gaharu between six and 10 years after planting. Both are inter-planted and planted at the same time.

Story Arrangement By: Harry George

Sources: Daily Express Online

Picture: Google Image