Patterns of labour utilization and income distribution in rice double cropping systems: policy implications

Abstract

The Green Revolution in Malaysia, as in other Asian countries, has generated a degree of euphoria regarding its impact upon food self-sufficiency because of the anticipated output increases, higher incomes for producers and increased absorption of surplus agricultural labour resources. The underlying rationale has been that technical requisites adequate irrigation infrastructure, dissemination of HYV's and complementary chemical inputs were necessary and sufficient conditions to generate widespread adoption of HYV's by farmers hiterto culturally and technically bound to single cropping areas in the Tanjong Karang blt (see map) covering 49,006 acres and extending along the Selangor coast. The agricultural potential of the area was initiallly investigated in 1985 and from 1918, the coastal strip was developed by settlers from Sumatra and Java. A coastal bund 50 miles along the coast was constructed by the Drainage and Irrigation Department to prevent recurrent tidal inundation.