COVID-19 and food security in Malaysia: implications on smallholding agriculture

ABSTRACT

Over the last two decades, the world has been confronted with several outbreaks of infectious diseases. Ebola, influenza A (H1N1), SARS, MERS, Zika and most recently, COVID-19, have had a serious global impact on economic instability, local and global public resources and above all, people's health. As the effect of COVID-19 is significant to the world market, it has also indirectly impacted the agricultural sector and hence has significantly exposed the strengths and limitations of the farming systems in terms of resiliency, production and food security which offers important lessons for policymakers. Hence, this study was conducted to analyse the impact of COVID-19 pandemics on the agricultural industry especially the smallholders who are more vulnerable during or post-pandemic due to the lack of resilient supply networks, low periphery of market access and limited production. In doing so, a survey was conducted, which began in May 2020, consisting of online questions that contain information about the impact of COVID-19 on the smallholding sector and the challenges faced by smallholders including crops, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture in Malaysia. A total sample of 217 smallholders or farmers from several states in Peninsular Malaysia was obtained within the Movement Control Order (MCO) period and later extended to the Conditional MCO (CMCO). Almost 86% of respondents answered that COVID-19 had heavily affected agriculture-related activities in Malaysia. Using a principal component analysis, our findings reveal four major issues or challenges those farmers faced during the MCO/CMCO namely income, uncertainties of supply and price, logistics and marketing activities.