Sabah, Sarawak smallholders get attention in Risda census

Rubber smallholders in Sabah and Sarawak now have the opportunity to voice out their needs and problems when the 2013 Rubber Industries Smallholders Authority (Risda) Smallholder Census, which starts next week, will be engaging them for the first time. Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the move to include rubber smallholders from both states compared to those in the peninsula before, was intented to strengthen Risda's database with information on the latest statistics on land ownership, operators, smallholdings and socio-economic status. "With this robust database, it will help us to get the best methods in formulating programs and developing the smallholders in the country as well bringing them out of poverty," he told reporters after presenting Risda Excellence Service Awards to 67 recipients, here, today. At the function, Mohd Shafie also delivered the MS ISO 9001:2001 Re-certification by SIRIM for Risda launched the 2013 Risda Smallholder Census which will be carried out from June 17 to July 21, involving about one million smallholders from across the country. Previously, RISDA conducted the census three times, in 1977, 1992 and 2002.