Agriculture:
Adaptation and Mitigation
Country Report: MALAYSIA
INTRODUCTION
Two main geographical region separated by the South China Sea: Peninsular
Malaysia in the West, lying between Thailand and Singapore, and the states
of Sabah and Sarawak located in the northern part of the Island of Borneo.
Total population as of 2013 is at 29.7 million people with 13.2 million labor
forces.
Map of Malaysia
Climate
Mean surface temperature increasing 0.18C per decade for over 40 years
since 1951 (MOSTE, 2000)
This can be seen with 2007 floods in Johor the southern state of Peninsular
Malaysia and prolong water rationing due to water shortage of 1998 and 2014
in Klang Valley at central Selangor comprising Kuala Lumpur and its
surroundings cities.
Rising of sea level 4.6 cm to 11.9 cm, satellite altimetry data of 1993 to 2010
(NAHRIM, 2010).
It was estimated that with the changes in average temperature and rainfall,
key crops like oil palm, rubber and rice as well as other agricultural activities
like animal husbandry and aquaculture will be affected.
High temperature and diminished rainfall reduce soil moisture, thus reducing
the irrigation capabilities and impairing the crop growth.
Oil palm can be negatively affected by two scenario: long duration drought
and increased in severe rainfall that cause flooding.
Malaysia adopts precautionary principles to adapt and mitigate to the effects of climate
change. Adaptation has gained prominence as more appropriate measures due to the
facts that some impacts are now unavoidable in the short and long term.
Mitigation measures are still necessary to as long term actions is taken to insure a better
future risk.
At the national level, Malaysia has formed a National Steering Committee on Climate
Change (NSCCC) (Strategies: policies on energy usage, public awareness on climate
change, food supply and effective forest and coastal mgt)
Soil Crop Suitability Classification for Peninsular Malaysia system also has been published
by the DOA to help planners, scientist and farmers.
Development and introduction of better rice varieties which have the characteristics of
drought resistance, having short maturing time (i.e.: MR211)
Preservation of forest reserves and water catchment areas to ensure adequate water
supply for agriculture is one of the important measures taken by the government.
The multiple impacts of climate change could significantly reduce the effectiveness of
current Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies leading to higher crop losses.