FUTURE PROSPECTIVE PADDY INDUSTRY IN MALAYSIA

RICE GROWING IN MALAYSIA is the thrid important sector after oil palm and rubber plantation. Rice (Oryza sativa) was grown mostly at 8 granary area in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. For me as senior agronomist who involved in agriculture extension and technology transfers seen that the Malaysian rice farmers are mainly older adults in their 50s and 60s need to change their approach. For the Youth (less than 40 years) participation in Malaysian rice and paddy cultivation is insignificant as they represent less than 17% of the total farmers population. Literacy wise the report stated that farmers aged 60 and above had received up to secondary schooling only. These farmers are comfortable with easy handling tools such as straw cutter, weeding machine and ploughing machine catered at the production level. In general, the utilization of farming tools remains traditional, and no apparent application of high-end technology had been practiced. Since most of these farmers belong to the small-scale rice farming group with low buying power, they are highly dependent on the incentives and subsidies provided by the federal government. Hence, only large-scale rice farm owners with higher buying power are keen in purchasing and owning modern equipment (such as combine harvester). In a survey conducted in the MADA rice granary shows that about 65% of the total respondent (rice farmers) recorded as above 51 years old showed positive acceptance to technology despite noting the difficult handling procedure. Undeniably the technology carries a toll on the cost of production. Precision rice agriculture by MARDI offer various technologies for land levelling systems, seed sowing coupled with conversion rate, yield monitoring and early warning system and fertilization technology package. Amongst the most popular accepted? technology developed by MARDI is the levelling technology package and variable rate seedling which costs RM225/ha (USD$50.50). Even among the paddy farmers with fairly good acceptance to precision technologies, the rising cost of production is a big stumbling block, crossing into their profit margin. This article in "Anim Agriculture Technology" blog I would like to write about the future prospective and opportunities toward the paddy for improvement and greater productivity in Malaysia.

Current world issues are concentrated the problem of increase price for food in which it was related to the controversy such as the surrounding the use of chemical fertilizers. The usage of chemical or inorganic fertilizer is widespread and common for the cost-effective production of agricultural crops in Malaysia and other countries. It ensures bountiful harvests at affordable costs but at the expense of human health and our ecosystem. Besides, rice farming is highly polluting since hundreds of millions of tons of rice husk and straw are produced along the cycle. The open burning of these wastes leads to air pollution and emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) mainly due to incomplete combustion. Hence, a paradigm shift to a greener agricultural practice is needed to ensure sustainability and clean environment. As the country moves toward developed status, green fertilizers and nanotechnology offer potential solution for sustainable agriculture. The utilization of nanomaterials for precision agriculture will cut on nutrient losses during fertilization and reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides by controlled release of nutrients, fertilizers and pesticides while elevating productivity. Circular economy promotes the shift toward sustainable waste management, hence, to use the waste products of paddy farming, such as the rice husk is commendable since this practice of value creation will indirectly cut on carbon footprint while embracing multiple SDGs. The steering away of chemical fertilizer will ensure not only a cleaner food chain but will put waste material into beneficial agriculture input to enhance productivity. For the blog writer the long history of Malaysian rice farming was established at the pre-independence era. In the 1960’s, soils in Peninsular Malaysia were ranked amongst the most superior quality in terms of organic matter factor. The swampy condition of west coast facilitated accumulation of soil organic matter (SOM). Long standing research on improved rice planting materials are primarily conducted using traditional breeding programmes. Government policy and support for a productive rice system is most evident through the implementation of Paddy Production Incentive Schemes and Guaranteed Minimum Price standardization under the paddy supply chain. Despite differences in environmental factors, mainly soil fertility, rice domestic trading has been serving equal in both high and low performing rice granaries. Farmers (>50 years old) are the main actors of rice agricultural system; however, technology-enabled farming practices are least observed. On a global perspective, the rice industry in Malaysia falls behind in regard to yield and productivity as a result of unattended or the widening gaps in the utilization of genetically modified (GM) planting materials, nano fertilization and technology-driven farming practices. There is an urgent need to understand the GM-hesitancy culture among local farmers and educate them accordingly. Ultimately paddy farmers are the backbone support for rice research and development activities in Malaysia. It takes two hands to clap. Likewise, it takes effective farmer-researcher communication for meaningful laboratory to farm translational research and acceptance. I take rice every day from Nasi Lemak at Morning, Lunch at Noon and Dinner at late day so able to feel the important of rice industry to be improved in Malaysia. Thanks...

Rewrite by,

M Anem,

Senior Agronomist,

Putrajaya,

Malaysia.

(August 2023).