AGRICULTURE IN MALAYSIA

About this Course

This course covers a brief history of the development of agriculture, discusses the successive agricultural policies, and analyzes the past, present and future challenges faced by the agricultural sector in Malaysia. The topics covered will give an insight into the complexities of agriculture, and explore common terms and phrases in agriculture such as agri-science and agro-technology, agro-industry, sustainable agriculture, agribusiness, agropeneurship, renewable natural resources, biomass utilization, agro-biotechnology, Good Agriculture Practices (GAP), within the context of Malaysia.

Course Learning Outcomes

1) Describe the development and importance of agriculture in Malaysia from the historical and socio-economical perspectives.
2) Explain current issues pertaining to Malaysian agriculture.
3) Present a report on Malaysian agricultural issues.

Course Syllabus

+ Course Syllabus

1) Introduction to agriculture
1.1 Definition and concept of agriculture
1.2 Agriculture and human civilization
1.3 History of agriculture development in Malaysia
1.4 Agriculture in our daily life
1.5 Science and agriculture
1.6 Agriculture as an industry

2) Types of agriculture in Malaysia
2.1 Shifting Cultivation
2.2 Intensive Pastoral Farming
2.3 Intensive Arable farming
2.4 Subsistence Cultivation
2.5 Commercial Cultivation
2.6 Mixed crop Cultivation
2.7 Dairy Farming
2.8 Livestock Farming
2.9 Aquaculture
2.10 Market Gardening/Olericulture (Fruit and salad vegetables)
2.11 Organic Farming
2.12 Horticulture
2.13 Plantations and Tree Farming

3) Challenges for Malaysian agriculture
3.1 World and national food crisis
3.2 Overdependence on food imports
3.3 Sustainability
3.4 Environmental degradation
3.5 Marketing and profitability
3.6 The risk of monocropping
3.7 Climate change
3.8 Labour shortage
3.9 Export standards

4) Traditional agriculture in Malaysia
4.1 Traditional land preparation for staple crops
4.2 Traditional land preparation for cash crops
4.3 Traditional crop maintenance practices
4.4 Traditional crop harvesting
4.5 Traditional post harvest handling
4.6 Traditional post harvest food processing
4.7 Advantages and disadvantages of traditional farming

5) Current trends in Malaysian agriculture
5.1 Agriculture as a business
5.2 Agriculture mechanization for higher productivity
5.3 High yield and quick maturing crop varieties
5.4 High carcass and quick maturing livestock
5.5 Fish farming in containers/Aquaponic
Integrated farming
5.6 Fertigation and greenhouses
5.7 Medicinal plants/herbs/spices
5.8 Organic Farming
5.9 Agro-tourism
5.10 MyGAP

6) Role of government support agencies
6.1 Agriculture Training Centres
6.2 Advisory, consultancy and technical support
6.3 Regulatory and standards
6.4 Agriculture Financing Institutions
6.5 Cooperatives
6.6 Marketing Support Systems

7) The Malaysian agricultural policies
7.1 Agricultural policy
7.2 Importance of agriculture policies
7.3 The Malaysian National Agriculture Policies
7.4 Assessments of Agriculture Policy Achievements

8) The future of Malaysian agriculture
8.1 Benchmarking in agriculture / TQM / ISO
8.2 Zoning of agriculture precincts/clusters
8.3 Genetically Modified Food (GMF): issues on safety and economics
8.4 Bio-fuel: prospects for investments
8.5 Globalization, dumping and trade protectionism
8.6 National food security
8.7 Plant genetic resources: collection, gene banks, germplasms
8.8 Future crops with commercial potential
8.9 Innovations in planting methods

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1 : What do I learn in this course?
A1 : The course touches broadly about the agriculture industry in Malaysia, its challenges and future outlook.