FUNCTONS OF RISDA
The main duties of RISDA as stated in its establishment act are:
1.To administer Rubber Industry Replanting Fund which was established under section 3 of the Rubber Industry (Replanting) Fund Ordinance 1952.
2.To manage and implement schemes approved under the provisions of the Rubber Industry (Replanting) Fund Ordinance 1952.
3.To plan and implement all innovations for the smallholder sector.
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES
To achieve the above duties, RISDA implements the following functions:
1.To implement agricultural innovations emanating from research.
2.To cooperate with other agencies responsible in research, extension, agricultural credits, rubber processing and marketing so as to expedite the modernization process in smallholder sector.
3.To implement replanting and new planting of the smallholder sector with high yielding planting materials.
4.To ensure that smallholder sector is modernized in every aspect to improve their economic wellbeing.
5.To obtain and maintain all necessary statistics relating to the development of the smallholder sector.
6.To participate in any other activities that will contribute to the improvement and development of
smallholder sector as instructed by the Minister from time to time.
RISDA also implements certain development programmes of the Ministry of Rural Developments under the new Rural Development Philosophy and Strategy such as the Gerakan Desa Wawasan (GDW), Infrastructure Development Programme, Absolute Poverty Eradication Programme (PPRT), One Village One Product Program (1KIP) and so forth.
Smallholders Development Strategic Plan 2001-2010 Target Group
- Active smallholders.
- Passive smallholders.
- Old and non-productive smallholders.
Economic Enhance
- Planning and provide guideline project implementation.
- Draft implementation planning smallholder sector deep poultry industry.
- Conduct the market research and provide comprehensive market information.
- Managing for Economic Development Fund Smallholder.
- Monitoring and concord the project implementation in order field.
- Planning, identify and implement smallholder course and training project participant.
- Helping smallholders to manage Additional Economic Activities to produce anything product during waiting the return of Rubber.
DEFINITION OF SMALLHOLDERS AND ESTATE
- Smallholders
Smallhoders are defined as those who own any land (for the planting rubber) of less
than 40.4686 hectares (100 acres).
- Estate
An estate is defined as an entity that owns any land (for the planting of rubber) with an
area of 40.4686 hectares (100 acres) and more.
- Target Group
RISDA’s Quality Policy
The Management of RISDA is Committed towards Providing Skilful and Effective Replanting Aid Management Services towards the Fulfillment of the Smallholders’ Needs.
Quality Objectives
Creating a sense of responsibility and commitment amongst all the members of staff towards increasing efficiency and efficacy in achieving the commercial replanting goal of 20,000 hectares annually, with 80% being group cultivation and 20% individual cultivation, from seedlings of high quality.
Quality System
The Quality System which manages the Replanting Aid for all crops approved by RISDA will be executed in three stages, as illustrated in the diagram below:-
a. First Stage: Quality Manual
The Quality Manual explains the quality policy and objective, as well as the principles of each MS ISO 9002:1994 element requirement in ensuring that the disbursed Management of Rubber and Oil Palm Replanting Aid fulfils and satisfies the client’s needs.
b. Second Stage: Quality Procedure
The Quality Procedure supports the policy and principles of each relevant MS ISO 9002:1994 element requirement as stated in the Quality Manual. It explains the following points.Steps to be taken in executing a particular activity in the Replanting Aid Management for all approved crops.
c. Third Stage: Job instructions
Job Instructions is a guide with detailed explanations on how to execute a particular activity under Quality Procedures which are relevant to Replanting Aid Management for all approved crops.
TRAINING DIVISION
Under Training Division there are three units that are:
i. Training Staff Unit
ii. Administration and Finance Unit
iii. Smallholders Rubber Industry Unit
The functions of Training Staff are:
- Analysis training needs
- Personnel development program
- Doing Seminar, conference, workshops and educational tour for all personnel’s
- Pre-retirement courses for staffs who wants to retired
- Managing courses or training
- Nationality courses
- Management courses
- Technical courses
The functions of Administration and Finance Units are:
- Managing administrative, budget and finance division include for (IKPK) and (RISTEC)
- Manage and updates data asset inventory
- Observe all physical aspect include security and maintenance
The functions of Smallholders Rubber Industry Units are:
- To make sure that all formal training is enough and accurate for rubber smallholders and for 2nd generations
- Ensure that al formal training such as rubber management and technical field is given to rubber smallholders
- Arrange courses and training for rubber smallholder’s staff skills raining, entrepreneurship courses and in other relevant field
- Creating seminar and workshops for PMPK and rubber stallholders
- Gathering information and rubber smallholders inventory, analysis and observe the effectiveness of training that given to the rubber smallholders
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES
Replanting is the main activity in the development of the smallholder sector, as well as the trust of other developmental activities. Replanting was first introduced in 1952 to enable smallholders with old and uneconomic rubber trees to replant with new clones or with other crops that could give higher yields and returns.The replanting grants are given partly in the form of agricultural inputs such as planting materials, fertilizers and pesticides and the balance in cash. The grant disbursement over a period of 2 ½ to 4 ½ years depending on the type of crops replanted. The smallholders can choose to replant their rubber trees with crops that could give better returns by block replanting or by individual replanting.
EXTENSION SERVICES AND THE TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY
Effective communication process needs to be implemented for the transmission of knowledge, bringing about attitudinal changes as well as increasing the skill level of the smallholders through the transfer and adoption of new technologies. Various extension methodologies, formal or informal, are used to educate and encourage the target groups to participate in the development programmes organized by RISDA.
Extension is the educational process to facilitate the implementation and adoption of new technologies recommend. The effectiveness of this process could be measured by the number and type of technologies adopted by the smallholders.
New technologies will be screened by both the National and State Extension and Transfer of Technology Committees before being introduced to the target group.
NURSERIES AND PLANTING MATERIALS
The preparation and supply of high quality planting materials to participants of the replanting programme is carried out by the 1956/1959 Scheme. In this way, RISDA can regulate the usage of the best clones besides supervising delivery schedule and quality of the planning materials supplied.
Research agencies will develop new clones from time to time for the smallholders. Apart from rubber, palm oil seedlings and timber species are also being produced at the central nurseries.
The planting materials for the replanting programme as being produced at 11 central nurseries owned by RISDA and at smaller nurseries managed by the smallholder cooperatives. The preparation and supply of these planting materials is under the responsibility of RISDA’s subsidiary, RISDA “Semaian dan Landskap Sdn. Bhd. (RSSB)”.
The replanting scheme for the estate sector is based on section 10 of the Rubber Industry (Replanting) Fund Ordinance 1952 after the amendment of the RISDA Act No. 8 of 1972. The Rubber Industry Scheme (Replanting) For the Estate 1974, states that cess money collected has to be refunded to the respective estates (more than 40.5 hectares) quarterly based on their production.
SMALLHOLDERS CO – OPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT
The co–operative society is one of the vehicle for smallholders developments, through the combined and pooled effort of available resources (labor, capital and skills) for involvement and participation in various social, economic and commercial activities. To date, there are 64 cooperatives formed at the national, state, and district levels throughout Peninsular Malaysia.
The operational structure of the co-operative consists of a National Rubber Smallholders Co-operative Berhad (NARSCO) as the main co-operative at the national level and the smallholders co-operatives at the state and district levels.
THE SMALLHOLDERS WOMEN GROUP
This is an institution established to expedite the smallholder women involvement and participation in the family and economic development. The membership consists of female smallholders, and other female members of the community who are involved in the various social and economic activities.
Among the main economic activities of this group are food processing 9such as chilly sauce, tomato sauce and soy sauce), handicrafts, tailoring and agricultures. In line wit the launching of the New Rural Development Philosophy and Strategy in 1994, risda has increased its effort to guide the members of these groups to be entrepreneurs and to commercialize their products.
FINANCIAL SOURCES
Since the beginning of the Seventh Malaysian Plan (7th MP) IN 1996, RISDA’s financial source to implement the various development programmes, especially replanting, are derived from the cess and other internal funds.
The Rubber Industry (Replanting) Fund, also known as the Cess Fund was established under section 3, Rubber Industry (Replanting) Fund Ordinance 1952. The cess collection is at the rate of 9.92 cents per kilogram rubber exported and is utilized for the replanting programme of the smallholders sector, while for the estate sector, the amount is refunded quarterly based on their production. The cess collection could also be used by RISDA for other activities approved by its Board.
