ALOR SETAR, April 12 (Bernama) -- The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) has continued the Semarak Ramadan programme by holding several charity activities with the local community in Baling district yesterday.

FAMA director-general Datuk Zainal Abidin Yang Razalli said the strategic cooperation programme with Bank Rakyat aims to bring the agency closer to its target groups, besides helping them during the Ramadan month.

“The activities in Baling include dialogue sessions with 40 farmers and seasonal fruit collectors, as well as young entrepreneurs.

“A signing of a sale and purchase agreement also took place between the Sungai Petani FAMA Operations Centre involving 11 farmers from the Rambutan cluster in Baling, with an estimated purchase value of 75.5 metric tonnes worth RM122,400,” he said in a statement today.

 He added that FAMA, together with Bank Rakyat in Baling also handed over food kit donations to 80 recipients, involving five kariah (parish) mosques under the Kampung Bongor Sekolah Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) in Bongor subdistrict.

According to him, the food kits recipients comprised of asnaf (tithe recipients) and lower-income (B40) groups involving 45 individuals from Desa Keda Banggol Petai, 10 (Kampung Lahar), eight each from Kampung Mak Liah and Kampung Bongor Sekolah and nine from Kampung Banggoi Saga.

Zainal Abidin said the organisation of the FAMA Semarak Ramadan programme was a twin-objective initiative, as it not only showcased the agency’s role at the programme location but also brought contributions donated by other parties.

He added for Ramadan this year, Bank Rakyat has contributed RM414,00 to FAMA in the form of food kits to be donated to nearly 2,070 asnaf nationwide.

“Each recipient will receive a food kit worth RM200 for food and basic essentials. This contribution is very much in line with the Keluarga Malaysia concept implemented by the government to highlight the aspiration of caring citizens who are always united in helping one another," he added.

Zainal Abidin said apart from that, FAMA and Bank Rakyat’s service delivery will also be carried out at each Ramadan tour location to ensure that the local community understands their roles and tasks to meet the needs of stakeholders.

-- BERNAMA