Climate Change: A Review of Its Nexus with Rice Sector and Food Security in Malaysia

Abstract

Climate change is a global problem wherein not a single country can escape from its externalities. Malaysia has been no exception to these externalities as future climate scenario indicates a worrying trend. Thus, future development of Malaysian rice sector would expect to encounter multiple challenges ahead, which includes the diverse alterations of the earth as the climate is warming, limited arable land as well as social and economic transition. This study is therefore aimed to unravel the nexus between rice sector, food security and climate change. In order to review the nexus, this study relied on literature research. This study is of the opinion that even though the agricultural sector is no longer a major contributor to the national economy, but in the context of paddy or rice, the concern on the impacts of climate change should be acknowledged beyond the economic perspectives and point of views. In fact, future consideration and direction of this sector should take into account the importance of paddy crop to rural small-scale farmers’ livelihoods and the role of rice in ensuring the stability and continuance of staple food supply for the country. If climate change dampens the government’s initiatives to increase rice selfsufficiency level (SSL) in the future, the national food security will certainly be at risk. In addition, the livelihood of farmers will be affected, especially the small scaled as paddy cultivation is their only source of income. Hence, the intervention policy by the government in the future should give due emphasize to strategies that are focused on enhancing the adaptation capacity of paddy farmers to alleviate their vulnerabilities to climate change.