Farmers' Organization Authority

Established:	February 14, 1973
Chairman:	Dato' Zainal bin Dahalan
Director General:	Dato' Arpan Shah bin Satu
Staff	3,176 (2008)
Official web site	FOA Official Web Site

Farmers' Organization Authority (FOA) is a Malaysian government statutory body under the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries, Malaysia.
History=
Farmers' Organization Authority was founded in 14 February 1973 through the gazetting of Lembaga Pertubuhan Peladang 1973 Act (Act 110). FOA was founded to carry the responsibility of helping to strengthen the social and economy of agricultural communities under a specific body with specific functions.

Act 109, Pertubuhan Peladang 1973 Act was specially formulated to restructure farmers' societies and agro-based cooperatives. Under the jurisdiction of this act, farmers' societies are abolished and were registered again as farmers' organization (FO), while agro-based cooperatives will become units of FO. To date, there are 1531 agro-based cooperatives and 119 FO servicing rural agricultural communities.

Vision

Farmers’ Organization Authority (FOA) as a leading agency promoting the development of professionally-managed Farmers Organizations.

Mission

To develop Farmers’ Organization as an effective services provider towards the creation of commercial farmers.
Functions of FOA =
The functions of the FOA as laid down in the Act are as follows:-

• To boost, encourage and endeavour economic and social progress of farmers’ organisations
• To register, control and supervise Farmers’ Organisations and making provision for related matters. If a declaration was made through announcement under section 10, to design and implement any agricultural development in Farmers' Organization of those area and
• To control and coordinate the implementation of the activities

FOA implements all these activities that can be collated within three main functions as follow :

• functions as Registrar
• functions as Management Agent and
• functions as Development Agent.

Registrar’s Function

Director General of FOA is Registrar of Farmers’ Organisation (FO) and agriculture based cooperatives and is responsible for registering, supervising and controlling including auditing of account of all Area Farmers' Organization (AFO) and agriculture-based cooperatives. The power and tasks of the agency and registrar are related to :

• As Registrar of FO and agriculture-based cooperatives
• To supervise and control all activities of FO and agriculture-based cooperatives.
• To audit and control the account.
• To revoke registrations including abolishment of any organisation: and
• To give education and training to members

The Registrar has appointed the Chief Executives for related agencies as its representatives to facilitate operation and effectiveness of tasks and responsibilities of registrar in MADA, KADA and Sarawak. Director of state AFO were also appointed. However, the power to form, register, suspend, abolish and others are still under the jurisdiction of the Registrar.

Management Functions

FOA gives management service to FO to facilitate operations and implements projects efficiently. The services given include staff administration, management services, training of staff of FO and consultancy services.

Development Functions

The main thrust of FOA is to explore the economic and social development of FO and implements in an efficient and integrated manner to increase the income of FO to benefit members. Under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (2006 - 2010), the Federal Government has allocated RM291 million for specific economic and social development of FO.
Roles of FOA=
FOA implements program and projects in line with current government policy in agriculture and rural development area including issues to reduce poverty gap and restructuring of society. The most relevant FOA's involvement in government policy are as follows:-

National Agricultural Development Policy (NAP)

FOA plays assisting role in implementing balanced development in the program and projects to eradicate poverty and restructuring of society under National Development Policy. FOA implements various activities related to policies in the Third Draft Plan Perspective (2001 - 2010). These policies are related to:

• Developing a resilient country
• Developing towards a just society,
• Maintaining economic growth,
• Being ompetitive globally,
• Developing economy that thrusted on knowledge ( K-Economy ),
• Strengthening of Human Resource Development,
• Development that preserve environment

The Third National Agricultural Policy (NAP 3) 1998-2010

Under NAP 3, the direction, strategy and mechanism of new policy implementations were emphasised on agriculture and economy in total, concentration in food security, productivity, inflation, private sector investment in agriculture, export promotion and import reduction of imports that are not productive and conservation and usage of appropriate natural resources. Five FOA's main functions under FOA’s Corporate Plan (2000-2005) and National Agriculture Policy are as follows:

• Stimulate and organise farmers to venture into agriculture projects that are based on climate and soil suitability, market demand and ability.
• Strengthening farmers’ institution in line with the Third National Agriculture Policy that aims to transform FO to become a business oriented organisation.
• Enhance entrepreneur farmers' development.
• Enhance human resource development.
• Equip FO with Information Technology facilities to enable them as the leading local agency in the rural sector.

List of Chairman =

• Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen
• Tan Sri Dato' Haji Mustafa Jabar
• Datuk Dr. Hj. Alang Perang Abdul Rahman bin Zainuddin
• Tan Sri Abu Zahar Bin Ujang
• Dato' Zainal bin Dahalan

List of Director General =

• Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid
• Dato' Khalid bin Husin
• Encik Abdullah bin Ujang
• Encik Pahamin bin Rajab
• Dato' Hj. A. Rahim bin Rahmat
• Dato' Hj Nozir Ahmad bin Hussein
• Dato' Hajah Mariam Mas binti Yaacob
• Dato' Arpan Shah bin Satu

National Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen Day =
The Sixth of August each year was gazetted as National Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen Day by the late Allahyarham Tun Abdul Razak. The celebration was first held on 6th August 1975 at the Parliament's compound with the theme of "Farmers' Unity - Farmers Are Important to the Country's Stability".
Notable Events =

Year	Date	Occasion
1968	February 26	Establishment of the first Area Farmers' Association, Persatuan Peladang Mukim Kampung Buaia, Lubuk Merbau, Padang Rengas, Perak.
1971	July 7	Establishment of the first State Farmers' Association, Persatuan Peladang Negeri Johor.
1972	March 24	Inauguration of National Farmers Association (NAFAS).
	August 6	Inauguration of Innovation Drive in conjunction with Terengganu State Development fest.
1973	February 14	FOA established.
	August 13	FOA launched.
	November 19	First meeting of FOA Authority Body and Farmers Advisory Council.
1974	June 22	First convention of National Farmers' Association Representation Council.
	December 20	Green Book Plan aka Successful Earth Drive was launched.
1975	February 25	Official opening of Machang Farmers' Advancement Centre, Kelantan.
	August 6	First National Farmers' Day.
1976	March 8	Official opening of Area Farmers' Organization of Repek / Telong, Bachok, Kelantan.
	March 26	Establishment of KNB~LPP, FOA staff cooperative.
1979	June 2	Official opening of AFO Lembah Pergau / Kuala Balah, Kuala Krai, Kelantan.
1981	June 29	Official opening of Farmers Advancement Centre of Ulu Kusial, Kelantan.
1983		Establishment of Farmers' Organization Authority of Federal Territory of Labuan.
1991	February 25	Official opening of Johor State FOA Complex building.
1992	May 18	Official opening of the office of AFO Gombak / Petaling, Selangor.
1993	February 3	Establishment of Sabah State FOA.
1994	March 3	Permodalan Peladang Berhad (PPB) was founded.
1995	June 22	First Annual General Meeting of Permodalan Peladang Berhad.
	June 26	Official opening of Peladang Inn Tioman, Pulau Tioman, Pahang
	December 13	Establishment of Peladang HeiTech Sdn. Bhd.
1996	April 18	Official opening of Perak State FOA building.
	May 23	Farmers' Education Foundation was founded.
1998	December 6	Official opening of farmers management institute, Institut Pengurusan Peladang (IPP) Langkawi, Kedah.
2002	November 29	Establishment of agricultural entrepreneur club, Kelab Usahawan Tani (KUAT).
2006	January 23	Inauguration of FOA new logo.