**3.4 Discrete income analysis**

**Table 4** shows the participants monthly income before and after participating in the Gahai Agropolitan Project. The left side of **Table 4** shows the income before participating in the Agropolitan project. The analysis shows the majority of respondents (75.5%) earn income of less than RM1, 000 which is below the poverty line income. There are 17.8% of participants earning incomes of between RM1001 and RM1500 and 4.4% have income of between RM1501 and RM2000. Only 2.2% of participants received income exceeding RM2, 000. The average monthly income of the participants before participating in the Gahai Agropolitan Project is RM920.22. This total income is almost similar to the national PLI.

The right side of **Table 4** also shows the participants income after participating in the Agropolitan Project. The value of the incomes is based on the respondents' feedback on questions related to the monthly average income earned after participating in the project. The income analysis shows all participants of the Agropolitan project obtain incomes exceeding RM 500 a month. There are 8.9% of the participants of the project receiving incomes between RM501 and


#### **Table 4.**

*Participants' income before and after participating in Gahai Agropolitan Project.*


**Table 5.**

*Participants' income difference before and after joining the Gahai Agropolitan Project.*


**Table 6.**

*Gahai Agropolitan Project's participants poverty based on the poverty line income (PLI).*

RM1000. Most of the respondents had income above PLI which is RM850. A total of 91.1% respondents earned incomes above RM1000. Details on the incomes amount show 31.1% of respondents earn incomes RM1001–RM1500, 42.2% earn incomes between RM1501–RM2000, and 17.8% earn more than RM2, 000 and above. Income comparison before and after participating the project shows a significant increment. The average monthly income of the participant after participating in the Gahai Agropolitan Project was RM1628.33. This average income is higher compared to monthly average income prior to joining the Gahai Agropolitan Project.

### **3.5 Income parametric analysis**

To further strengthen the analysis, the findings of an increase in a participant's income for involvement in Gahai Agropolitan Project were analyzed using a parametric test, paired sample t-test. The test is carried out using the data of the participants' income before and after participating in the project. **Table 5** shows income differences before and after participating in the Agropolitan project. The analysis show significant differences to the participants' income with a value of t = 8196 and the value of p = 0.000, indicating that there is a significant income difference before and after participating in the Agropolitan project. Participant's income increased and significant differences were significant before and after participating in the Gahai Agropolitan Project.

### **3.6 Poverty analysis using poverty line income (PLI)**

**Table 6** shows the poverty analysis for the Gahai Agropolitan Project's participants using the poverty line income (PLI). Based on the table above, the household is categorized poor should the household receive an income less than the poverty line. This case study applied PLI at a national level in 2014 for Peninsular Malaysia and rural area at RM 840. RM840 value means the households earning incomes less than this value is considered poor. Based on **Table 6**, 95.6% of the Agropolitan project participants are considered not poor, earning income exceeding RM840 per month. This income is derived from active involvement in the Well-Being Farm which was the main income source. However, there were still poor participants (4.4%).

This PLI poverty analysis thus shows a good state whereby participants' poverty could be addressed as 95.6% of participants have come out of poverty after joining the Gahai Agropolitan Project.
