AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO FACILITATE SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

In order to promote resilient livelihoods in rural areas, an integrated approach to sustainable livelihoods is required. Through an exhaustive review of scholarly literature and publications, this paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the concept of an integrated approach to sustainable rural livelihood, while emphasising the key factors that determine its effectiveness. The effectiveness of rural development initiatives that promote inclusivity has been found to be contingent on numerous factors, as per prior research findings. These factors include community engagement, local and indigenous knowledge consideration, gender inclusivity, environmental sustainability, and strategic rural partnership. This paper can significantly contribute to the academic comprehension of rural livelihoods, resilience, and inclusive development practises, thereby paving the way for future research and academic advancement

Public Participation by Resident Associations in Local Authorities Administration in Kuching District, Sarawak, Malaysia

The purpose of this article is to discuss public participations by Residents Association in local authorities administration in Kuching District, Sarawak, Malaysia. This article also discusses the structure of the Resident Associations and the various activities these structures organised which benefitted the communities living in the neighbourhood. All three local authorities  namely the DBKU, MBKS and MPP indicated that Resident Associations  play an important role to create mutual relationship with the public towards better local authorities administration.  In addition, it highlighted the roles played by the Resident Associations in three local in promoting public participation through various programmes and activities.   Resident Associations also play an important in preventing crimes by improving security at their neighbourhood, increasing vigilance, creating and maintaining a caring community. They also play a vital part in the local government administration especially in maintaining cordial relationship between the residents and the local authorities. Finally this article discuss the programmes and activities implemented by the Resident Associations in collaboration with the local authorities. Amongst the activities discussed in this article are safety and crime prevention programmes, recycling programme, recreational and sports activities, community services or gotong-royong, and other programmes that are beneficial to communities living in the neighbourhood

Enhancing Rural Wellbeing: Unravelling the Impact of Economic Diversification in Sarawak

This study delves into the multifaceted dynamics of economic diversification in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia, as well as the deep implications for rural wellbeing. Specifically, the aim of the study is to look into various economic diversification measures and their impact on the Iban rural community in Sri Aman, Sarawak. Sarawak, endowed with abundant natural resources and a diverse cultural legacy, has embarked on a transformative journey towards economic diversification in order to support sustainable development and enhance rural populations' livelihoods. This study used a mixed-methods approach, including surveys and in-depth interviews. It was found that the majority of households have increased their income by diversifying their sources of income by engaging in both farm and non-farm activities, such as formal and informal trading, wage labour, and remittances. The benefits of livelihood diversification can be seen in the community's decreased reliance on a single activity, the development of infrastructure, the survival of the Iban culture, and the resilience of the community

The Impact of Livelihood Asset Accumulation on the Well-being and Psychology of Iban Rural Households in Sarawak

Despite still engaging in subsistence agriculture, the Iban in Pantu are increasingly embracing commercial and non-agricultural pursuits. The accumulation of various assets is crucial for the livelihood and well-being of the Iban community in Pantu. The assets encompass resources and capabilities that households can leverage to enhance their livelihood strategies. This study investigates the determinants of well-being among rural households in Pantu District Sri Aman, Sarawak, by exploring the accessibility to livelihood assets. The study specifically investigated the correlation between livelihood strategies and the accessibility of human, financial, social, capital, and natural assets. To obtain a comprehensive understanding of the wellbeing and livelihood assets of households and communities, this study used a mixed methods approach that combined structured and in-depth interviews. The qualitative method involved conducting in-depth interviews with two community chiefs (penghulus) and 12 village heads (tuai rumah). A quantitative methodology was utilised in the study, consisting of a structured interview schedule. The collection of data involved the use of disproportionate purposive sampling to reach out to 220 heads of household (bilik family) living in 12 longhouses. The study found that the well-being of the local community is positively affected by the availability of social and natural resources. Available schemes, subsidies, and training provided through vertical and horizontal social integrations have helped the Iban community maintain their livelihood. Notwithstanding the depletion of natural resources in Pantu owing to development, natural capital retains its importance to the community. This study provides insights into asset accumulation strategies and the potential for improving Iban livelihoods in rural Pantu through the discovery of the significance of social and natural assets. Policymakers, development practitioners, and researchers working on sustainable rural development and poverty reduction can gain valuable insights from this study

Livelihood Strategies of the Iban Community in Pantu Sub-District, Sri Aman, Sarawak

The overall aim of this research is to examine the livelihood strategies of an Iban community in Pantu Sub-District, Sri Aman, Sarawak. Specifically, this research analyses the determining factors in the diversification of the livelihood strategies of the Iban community in Pantu. Accordingly, this study also analyses the role of gender in the decision-making process to determine the livelihood strategies of the Iban community in Pantu besides evaluating the changing role of gender in affecting activities participated by both men and women in Mungguh Ubah and Kara Pantu. Finally, the study also explores how indigenous knowledge among the Iban community in Pantu Sub-District influences the choice of livelihood strategies in response to changes of their livelihood susceptibility to environmental alteration. This study is based on a mixed method approach. In-depth interviews were conducted with two Iban Penghulu and 12 Tuai Rumah, while structured interviews with 220 bilik family heads, and focus group interviews with 15 men and 15 women besides direct observation. The findings showed that the major income share of the Iban communities in Pantu Sub-District is from farming activities since it is the primary economic source of the households there. The study indicated that majority of the households have improved earnings through diversifying their livelihood strategies by adopting both farm and non-farm activities such as involving in small-scale trading, hunting, fishing, and forest collection. Despite the broader frame of livelihood diversification, farmers in Pantu widely practiced agricultural diversification and depended on livestock husbandry. Almost all farmers in Pantu Sub-District perform crop diversification by cultivating more than one type of crop on their farmland such as rice, a variety of fruits and vegetables, rubber, oil-palm, and pepper. In terms of the income distribution, no significant difference was observed among the Iban households in Pantu Sub-District where a 70% majority fall under the low-income (monthly income less than RM2,000) category. Most households secure adequate food for themselves (subsistence) and only sell the farm surplus at the local markets. Apart from agriculture, rural Iban households in Pantu still depend on natural resources for a living by involving in forest produce collection, hunting wild game and fishing. Some of the low-income households depend on remittances sent by their family members as their secondary income. An interesting finding of this study is that there are cross border informal trade activities due to Pantu’s proximity to the border between Sarawak and West Kalimantan. This creates an economic and socio-cultural effect especially in supplementing the labour shortage faced in carrying out various economic activities in Pantu, providing varieties of goods sold to the local Iban and cross border marriage. The results of the study also suggest that social and natural assets, which significantly influence household decisions in diversifying livelihood strategies, enable households to enhance food security and increase agricultural production by smoothing capital constraints. Next, the women in Pantu Sub-District are actively involved in agriculture as well as in non-farm activities such as handicraft making, running small enterprises and forest produce collection as their livelihoods. Women in Pantu do play triple roles. Except for domestic tasks, there is gender equality in livelihood decision making particularly on utilisation of livelihood assets there. Almost 96% of the Iban households admit the importance of indigenous knowledge (IK) in their livelihood strategies such as farming, handicraft making, forest resources collection, hunting and fishing. IK provides Iban communities with ideas for tackling local problems. The findings of this study provide several policy implications for promoting sustainable and effective development of rural households