Farmers' Organization Authority

Farmers’ Organization Authority (FOA) as a leading agency promoting the development of professionally managed farmers' organisations.

To develop Farmers’ Organization as an effective services provider towards the creation of commercial farmers.

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.

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.

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.

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 Competitive globally,
• Developing economy that is based on knowledge (K-Economy),
• Strengthening of Human Resource Development,
• Development that preserve environment

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.