Paddy Farmers In Malaysia Research Articles

Exposure to Airborne Pesticides and Its Residue in Blood Serum of Paddy Farmers in Malaysia.

Background: Pesticides manage pests and diseases in agriculture, but they harm the health of agricultural workers. Concentrations of thirteen pesticides were determined in personal air and blood serum of 85 paddy farmers and 85 non-farmers, thereafter associated with health symptoms. Method: Samples were analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Results: The median concentration of pesticides in personal air samples ranged from 10.69 to 188.49 ng/m3 for farmers and from 5.79 to 73.66 ng/m3 for non-farmers. The median concentration of pesticides in blood serum was from 58.27 to 210.12 ng/mL for farmers and 47.83 to 62.74 ng/mL for non-farmers. Concentration of eleven pesticides in personal air and twelve pesticides in blood serum were significantly higher in farmers than non-farmers (p < 0.05). All pesticides detected in personal air correlated significantly with concentration in the blood serum of farmers (p < 0.05). Health symptoms reported by farmers were dizziness (49.4%), nausea (47.1%), cough (35.3%), chest pain (30.6%), breathing difficulty (23.5%), sore throat (22.4%), vomiting (18.8%), phlegm (16.5%), and wheezing (15.3%). Concentration of pesticides in personal air, blood serum, and health symptoms were not significantly associated. Conclusion: Occupational exposure to pesticides significantly contaminates blood serum of farmers compared to non-farmers.

Innovation Diffusion: The Influence of Social Media Affordances on Complexity Reduction for Decision Making.

Social media is a prominent communication platform. Its active usage permeates all generations and it is imperative that the platform be fully optimized for knowledge transfer and innovation diffusion. However, there are several considerations regarding platform usage, including media affordances. Social media affordances enable users to interact with the world around them through features of modality, agency, interactivity, and navigation. Previous studies have indicated that social media affordances significantly influence user behavior and usage. However, research exploring the effect of social media affordances on knowledge acquisition and the reduction of decision-making complexities is limited. Therefore, focusing on 179 paddy farmers in Malaysia, this study examined the effect of social media affordances on information quality, knowledge acquisition, and complexity reduction regarding innovation adoption decisions using a quantitative approach. This study’s findings reveal that social media affordances have a significant effect on perceived information quality, knowledge acquisition, and complexity reduction.

Effect of Mole drain and Tracked Agricultural Prime Movers on Soft Soil Paddy Areas

Soft soil condition has become a major problem faced by Malaysian paddy farmers. MARDI has developed mole drain subsoiler and tracked agricultural prime movers to overcome this problem. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the effect of integrating mole drain and tracked prime movers on soft soil area. The mole drain was installed on an identified soft soil area at an experimental plot at the Department of Agriculture (DOA) Station, Kg Bukit Merah, Seberang Perai Tengah, Penang. Tracked prime movers were used for land preparation, transplanting and harvesting. Results showed that the soft soil condition of the plot was reduced to from 79% to 17%, a reduction of 62%.

Identification Spectral Signature of Weed Species in Rice using Spectroradiometer Handheld Sensor

Productions of rice in Malaysia is less compared to other rice producers such as Thailand. One of the reasons is lack of management in weeds. Losses due to weeds must be solved in rice production system, they interfere with the activities involved in the field throughout crop growing period. The main problem in rice field is to detect the presence of weeds among the paddy plant. It is hard to detect from plain sight for weeds in the green field by farmers. This research developed a technique to detect and control the weeds in the rice field. Spectral signature of weeds was collected and stored in the mobile apps for weed management application. The spectral signature of weeds species is unique and has their own characteristics. It can be used as a reference on how to detect weeds in the rice field using remote sensing. In this study, the result outcomes are mainly targeting to help all the paddy farmers in Malaysia to increase their production numbers of paddy. In addition, paddy farmers will be introduced with much advance technique to spot on the weeds that have been infesting in their paddy field and can prepare with what strategy to control on different kind of weeds. Different weed species has different physiological characteristics and it requires different type of strategy to counter the growth in the paddy field. Every weed in the paddy field need to be recognized in order to plan a control strategy. By using only naked eyes of a human and the limited view through the side view of the paddy field contributes to the problem of recognizing type of weeds that infesting the area.

Transition pathways for Malaysian paddy farmers to sustainable agricultural practices: An integrated exhibiting tactics to adopt Green fertilizer

Sustainable agriculture mainly depends on the efforts and abilities of farmers that depend on the rational decisions and actions taken by them with the help of their practical knowledge and information. Recent advances in the field of nanomaterials such as graphene possess the significant potential benefits for both agriculture and the environment. Therefore, for promoting sustainable agriculture farmer’s outlook needs to be more towards the social approach rather a technocratic approach. The purpose of this research is to examine paddy grower’s perception of productive paddy farming in peninsular Malaysia. So, for this study, a sample of 74 paddy farmers had adopted to have their insights and opinions about predefined sustainable practices of farming. Altogether 86 items were factor analysed and eventually, there are five main factors, policy, namely, environmental, economic and social and communication which was acknowledged to construct a perception of sustainability by considering the sustainable agricultural practices among Malaysian paddy farmers insights were characterized mainly into three groups like low, medium and high-level insights. This was considered as the dependent variable of the ordered research model, whereas socioeconomic characteristics and communication behaviour variables were used as a variable. The results of this research model reflected that communication channels, environmental factors, socio-psychological, socioeconomic aspect, and innovation attributes education level, age, participation in farming events and productive using of knowledge the perception of sustainable farming lead to the adoption of GFT among Malaysian paddy farmers. The government should be more focused towards policy linked with the issues like illegal paddy entry, plus social elements such as increasing the level of socialization and communication between stakeholders, researchers, a scientist in the region and giving out some special programs related to farming.

Projection of Paddy Production in Kedah Malaysia: A Case Study

Rice is a staple food for Malaysian. Malaysian paddy farmers contributed up to 70% of the country’s needs. However, climate change impact to the agriculture activities. The aim of this study is to forecast the paddy production for four years in Kedah, Malaysia. Naïve forecasting method was used in this study. The forecasted results for the paddy production values from 2013 to 2016 are considered in this study. The finding shows that the decrease of paddy production in the year of 2013 but the paddy production increased from year 2014 until 2016. Overall, this research work forecasted gradual increments for the projection of four years rice’s production in Kedah.

Determinants for Knowledge Sharing among Paddy Farmers in Malaysia

In order to increase the rice productivity and quality, installing proper knowledge in paddy field is an important element. Knowledge sharing becomes an important part of improving skills, competency and knowledge in many sectors including agriculture. Knowledge sharing becomes an important part of improving skills, competency and knowledge in agriculture sector. This paper aims to find the factors that impact on knowledge sharing process among paddy farmers in Malaysia. A research model is developed to identify and evaluate the key driving factors influencing knowledge sharing among paddy farmers in Malaysia. There were about 142 useable responses were received and further analyzed using the appropriate statistical procedures The research model was then tested using the partial least square (PLS) technique. ADANCO was used to validate the research model and test the proposed research hypotheses. The study confirms that organizational, personal and technology-driven drives paddy farmers sharing knowledge. This finding of the study can be reused, hence making learning and education among farmers become more efficient. individual, organization and technology have influences to knowledge donating and collecting among paddy farmers and shows that organization has the highest factor. Therefore, government agency has to play important role in order to encourage activities of knowledge donating and collecting on farmers sharing knowledge.

A solution for the sunset industry: Adoption of Green Fertiliser Technology amongst Malaysian paddy farmers

Modernising agricultural activity is a key to boost the production level at high efficiency. The paddy industry in Malaysia has been blighted with underproduced yield, which can be intervened with the adoption of Green Fertiliser Technology (GFT) amongst farmers. In this paper, the researchers have measured the intention level of farmers to adopt GFT based on the psychological aspects based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour(TPB). This study is a continuation of the previous studies by observing the direct and, more importantly, the indirect effects of the psychological aspects. Surveys were conducted in the main rice granary areas in Malaysia, such as Integrated Agricultural Development Authorities (IADA), Kemubu Agricultural Development Authorities (KADA), and muda Agricultural Development Authorities (MADA). To check the effects of the psychological factors, the partial least squares – structural equations modeling (PLS-SEM) approach was used to check the significance of those factors towards the intention to adopt GFT amongst those farmers. The results have shown that direct and indirect attitude and indirect subjective norm, as well as direct-indirect perceived behavioural control, have a positive and significant influence on the intention of adopting. More importantly, the results have established behavioural beliefs, normative beliefs, and control beliefs to correspondingly affect attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control. Overall, the study represents a guidance for key stakeholders to promote sustainable agriculture methods and innovations. These results advance theoretical understanding of GFT and potentially contribute to predicting Malaysian paddy farmers behaviour.

CONCEPTUALISING COMMUNICATION MEDIA AND FARMER’S REACTION IN PROBLEM SOLVING

Purpose: Agricultural Extension Services (AES) under structural governance reform that aimed to curb AES situational problem like insufficient of information delivery, suggested communication media principally radio as a tool for farmers to keep up with newest idea and information about agriculture technology and practices. It shows that, radio role is still pertinent on delivery of information for production output. Beyond that, this study is to examine radio as new concept that allow feedback and influence farmer’s information behavior in dealing with AES problem.&#x0D; Methodology: This study propose the reaction of Malaysian paddy farmers could be shape to view insufficient of information delivery within AES as being intervention in increasing farmers’ utilization of communication media such radio. Drawing upon Kim and Grunig (2011) Situational Theory Problem Solving (STOPS) as the framework, aside from looking at the perception of publics towards certain problem. This study construct a quantitative measure of radio through exploratory factor analysis using principal components with varimax rotation to assess the performance of each item in measuring their respective variables and to be examined within STOPS. An extensive reviews of literature then produced preliminary factor and items that were tested through a survey distributed among 110 respondents.&#x0D; Findings: Exploratory factor analysis found the items fell into common factor group and finalized with seven (7) items of measurement for future study.&#x0D; Practical Implications: These results offer initial guidance into the relevance of radio effected farmer’s reaction in problem solving within the proposed model of the STOPS especially at local context.&#x0D; Social Implications: Study forwarded the idea of communication method that assisted public to be connected towards identified problem. Radio can be used to create awareness, share information and give a voice to the community&#x0D; Research Limitations: New research to further investigate other needs of famers through the use of combination of media not specifically on radio only.&#x0D; Originality Value: Study examined the role of radio in farmer’s reaction in problem solving towards insufficient information delivery to fill the gap of knowledge within the framework of the STOPS.

Micronucleus Analysis in Buccal Swabs of Paddy Farmers from the East Coast of Malaysia

Pesticide exposure may cause genotoxic effects by inducing the formation of micronucleus (Mn). Mn are fragments of chromosomes that remains after cells division. The increase in Mn may increase the risk of cancer formation. Our study aimed to determine the effects of lifestyle and pesticide exposure on the formation of Mn in epithelial cells buccal swabs among paddy farmers in Malaysia. About 40 farmers who were exposed to pesticides were chosen as subjects and 30 personnels were possibly not directly exposed to pesticides, were chosen as the control group. Demographic and anthropometric data were obtained from questionnaires developed. Analysis of Mn formation was done using Giemsa staining (10% v/v) and the frequency of Mn formation was scored from 1000 cells per sample. Kruskal-Wallis test done between Mn frequency with age class showed a significant increase (p &lt; 0.05) in Mn frequency as compared to the control in the age group of 30-39 , 40-49 years, and 50-59 years. Significant increased (p &lt; 0.05) were observed between Mn frequency groups of normal BMI, preobese, and grade 1 obese as compared to control. Significant increase of Mn frequency (p &lt; 0.01) was also seen among smokers and farmer’s group (15:39 ± 3.34) as compared to controls (4.76 ± 1.26). The maximum numbers of Mn found in farmers are 7 Mn per cell whereas for control group is only 3 Mn. However, most farmers had only 1 Mn (81.75 ± 6.42%) and 2 Mn (15:28 ± 5.14%). Mn frequency with the duration of exposure to pesticides in a month and the use of PPE revealed no significant difference (p = 0.27). In conclusion, the increased frequency of Mn was influenced by age, gender and BMI of farmers besides commonly repeated duration of exposures and the use of PPE are needed to be studied to analyze the causes of an increased in Mn among farmers. DOI : http://dx.doi.org./10.17576/JSKM-2018-02

The effects of knowledge transfer on farmers decision making toward sustainable agriculture practices

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to enhance the adoption decision of farmers and observe the factors that affect the adoption decision of sustainable agriculture practices (SAP) which is the major motivating force of Malaysian economy. The idea behind this study is to transfer knowledge to paddy farmers within regional areas of Malaysia and to comprehend their understanding of social innovation and sustainable agriculture engineering and their overall significance. The outcome of this research will suggest a strategic extensive plan to encourage the use of SAP and also help to develop SAP helping toward building a sustainable society.Design/methodology/approachThis paper encompasses three phases: analyzing the process of SAP among Malaysian Paddy farmers, to agricultural industrialization, until the stage of SAP led by farmer’s co-operatives, discussing the relevant practice together with literature and historically evidencing that there is no better way to promote SAP among regional paddy farmers within Malaysia.FindingsInitial objective of this paper is to establish a thoughtful approach to enable the society to bridge a gap between embracing sustainability. The second objective investigates the misconception among farmers about social innovation. Furthermore, the study builds the conceptual framework and examines the relationship among the relevant constructs, this framework is critically examining the literature within paddy farming context. Harmoniously, there has been limited empirical research performed on the decision of adoption toward SAP usage among paddy farmers in Malaysia.Originality/valueThe clear worth of this research paper is the illustration from past reviews and practices to endorse SAP usage among paddy farmers in Malaysia. Another literature review suggests that these countermeasures comprehensively, historically, and theoretically are proven result oriented. The information about SAP will be beneficial for farmers and policy maker who are interested in the advancement. This learning delivers a comparative summary of knowledge transfer influencing farmer’s intention and behavior of sustainable agriculture engineering to adopt green technology. In a future study, these construct will be empirically tested.

The impacts and visions of the green fertilizer technologies (GFT)

PurposeWith the increased stress on sustainability and food security, in addition, the need towards halting environmental deprivation has focused attention on green fertilizer technology (GFT), which is the means of improving the situation causing the rising environmental concern. It also gives efficient use of farm resources which can help to protect crops. Moreover, the adoption of GFT is one aspect to answer the problem in regards to the sustainable environment. In the year 1980, an initiative took place to simplify the adoption decision in the developing countries. Regardless of the low adoption rate elsewhere, comparable exertions in the current year have originated in developing countries. Accepting those primary factors that influence the adoption of GFT is very important. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approachThis study re-examines these factors and draws policy implications from that review for future actions. This research study re-examines them, based on other studies examining the inadequate adoption of GFT in developing countries, by generalising their conclusions to clarify why farmers have or have not made the decision to adopt GFT. The ability to address that awareness enables the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) model to predict the farmer’s intention of acceptability of the GFT. By following a socio-psychological approach, by using TPB, the researchers have found out the paddy farmers’ adoption decision towards GFT. The researchers later discuss the implications for promoting the adoption of GFT, which delivers suggestions for the upcoming research study.FindingsThe idea of this research study is to seek farmers’ understanding about environmental attitudes in connection with conservation behaviour. The overall aim of this paper is to conceptualise the framework created by amending the environmental concern amongst paddy farmers towards GFT.Originality/valueThis research study will allow more academic consideration and may direct future research on the empirical findings on the environmental concern through the proposed conceptual framework amongst paddy farmers in Malaysia.

Understanding and facilitating sustainable agricultural practice: A comprehensive analysis of adoption behaviour among Malaysian paddy farmers

With the increased stress on sustainability and food security, in addition, the need toward halting environmental deprivation has focused attention on Individual farmers subjectively perceive the attributes of SAP and their subsequent benefits. Qualifying this knowledge is important, but past efforts have largely been unsystematic. This research paradigm purpose is to observe the influence of Malaysian paddy farmer’s adoption intention towards sustainable agriculture.This systematic study assesses the structure of perceived Awareness of sustainable agricultural practices. A convenient sampling technique was used to select the sample. A total of 132 questionnaires was distributed to Malaysian Paddy farmers, around the Malaysian state which was used for data analysis. The result from the structural analysis suggests that the results of confirmatory factor analysis indicate that the most robust. Moreover, technology-aided communication described as moderates the relationships between Attitude, subjective Norm, Perceived behavioral control and intention.Overall, findings of this study extend the understanding, to link noneconomic benefits to profitability to the attribute of relative advantage. Our work represents a guide to assist change agents to evaluate farmer perceptions at different locations systematically. This structured method will help effectively to design and promote sustainable agriculture and other green agricultural innovations. Discussions and implications for Malaysian paddy farmers, limitations, and suggestions for future research are also delivered in the line of this research study.

Adoption of green fertilizer technology among paddy farmers: A possible solution for Malaysian food security

Fertilizer is one of the critical contributions that is being used in order to improve agricultural productivity. Whereas, using Green fertilizer technology (GFT) is a means of improving the environmental concerns. Paddy production using green fertilizer technology potentially allows for sustainable development and helps farmers to increase the yield in Malaysia. The application of GFT in the modern agricultural industry is highly needed for food security in many developing nations, including Malaysia. The Malaysian government focuses more on paddy over other different essential crops for the implication of GFT because paddy has always been considered as the main commodity and the staple food crops for the country. Whereas, Malaysia needs to be self-sufficient because the nation produces nearly 72% of the paddy whilst the rest needs to be imported from other countries. Paddy yield in Malaysia is still lower than those other commodities under comparable conditions. Therefore, the production cost is significantly higher which results in a low perception about the adoption decision of GFT. Paddy production in Malaysia using GFT potentially allows for sustainable development and helps farmers to increase the yield. The foremost role of paddy farmers is to deliver sufficient food supply to the country. However, paddy farmers have largely managed their business by using traditional methods of farming with an outcome that is near to halting the productivity and farming income. Whilst, the Malaysian government, extension services, and Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) stimulate paddy farmers to use GFT, which increases productivity without damaging the environment. This particular research focuses on the conceptual framework grounded on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), and Expected Utility Theory (EUT) in order to study the adoption decision of GFT amongst the Malaysian paddy farmers. This conceptual framework elucidates the adoption decisions by means of a self-motivated process, presuming a composite interaction group of a variable which came from all these three different theories. The combination of the TPB, TRA, and EUT overcomes some limitations that ascend when just one theory is used to examine the adoption decision amongst paddy farmers in Malaysia. Overall, the outcome of this research will suggest a strategic extension plan for advocating the use of GFT amongst farmers and hence help them to develop sustainable agricultural practices. Adoption of GFT amongst paddy farmers gives a possible solution for the Malaysian Food Security.

Do climate changes lead to income inequality? Empirical study on the farming community in Malaysia

Changes in climatic factors have different impacts on different social groups. But the farmers are considered to be the most vulnerable group because of their direct and indirect dependency on climatic factors. This study aims to understand the nature of socioeconomic impacts of climatic changes on the farmers in Malaysia. A questionnaire survey was conducted on a sample of 198 paddy farmers in the Integrated Agricultural Development Area at North-West Selangor of Malaysia in 2009. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ordinal scale and percentile. The study reveals that climatic changes have adverse impacts on agricultural productivity, profitability, income equality, employment, farmer’s health, and government subsidy policy. The Kuznets ratio and Gini coefficient indicate that there is highly unequal distribution of income. Climatic changes are contributing to the widening of this income gap, because poor farmers are affected more by the adverse effects of climatic changes. The current government subsidy policy is not found appropriate and adequate to support and encourage the farmers to adequately adapt to the climatic changes and to reduce the inequality among the farming community. The paper ends up with recommending some policy guidelines to counter adverse effects of climate change on income of paddy farmers in Malaysia.

Do climate changes lead to income inequality? Empirical study on the farming community in Malaysia

Changes in climatic factors have different impacts on different social groups. Farmers are considered to be the most vulnerable group because of their direct and indirect dependency on climatic factors. This study aims to understand the nature of socioeconomic impacts of climatic changes on the farmers in Malaysia. A questionnaire survey was conducted on a sample of 198 paddy farmers in the Integrated Agricultural Development Area at North-West Selangor of Malaysia in 2009. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, ordinal scale, and percentile. The study reveals that climatic changes have adverse impacts on agricultural productivity, profitability, income equality, employment, farmer's health, and government subsidy policy. The study also finds considerable unequal income distribution among farmers. The study suggests that climatic changes contribute to the widening of income inequality, because poor farmers are affected more by the adverse effects of climatic changes. The paper ends up with recommending some policy guidelines to counter adverse effects of climate change on income of paddy farmers in Malaysia.

Leadership in Malaysian Paddy Farming

Agriculture has a vital role in our livelihood and economic development unlike any other economic activity. Malaysia's leading agricultural yields are in rice, fruit and vegetables. The growing of rice takes up the biggest area, comprising 670,000 ha in 2010 (Dorward, Poole et al. 2003). There are 0.3 million paddy farmers in Malaysia, 40% of which are full-time, and 65% of total paddy farms are below one hectare in area(Alam, Siwar et al. 2010). In nascent economies like Malaysia, rural people have relied on extension workers for technical advice and knowledge. The success of extension programs is decided to a great extent by the ability of extension workers, their qualifications and competency, since the whole extension process is reliant on their passing of new ideas and technical advice to the rural people(Idris, Hamzah et al. 2010). In the area of agricultural extension, leadership has crucial longterm importance as it deals with educating groups of farmers in the community .(Khalil 2008) Local leaders are able, in an informal manner, to shape the behavior and attitudes of others towards what is desirable, and the leadership in rural areas has a paramount function in the agricultural extension program .(Rogers 2010). DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2016.v5n1p257

The fall of smart organic fertilizer: can it be revived?

Subject area Entrepreneurship, Strategic Marketing, Innovation, New Product Development (NPD). Study level/applicability This case is suitable to be used in advanced undergraduate and MBA/MSc. Case overview This case illustrates the challenges related to designing and launching an innovative product in the market. It revolves around the issues pertaining to smart organic fertilizer's (SOF) pre- and post-launch experiences. Haji Sani Kimi, a Senior Research Officer of the Strategic Research Centre at MARDI, had developed a zeolite-based organic fertilizer which he believed to be the first of its kind in Malaysia. He had taken five years to complete his research in developing SOF. Seeing its potential benefits for the land and farmers, the then Director General of MARDI asked Sani to speed up the process of technology transfer to be the first to launch the product in the market. In 2005, MARDI established a five-year agreement with Hicotech Sendirian Berhad to license its intellectual property rights (IPR). Adnan, a successful automobile business entrepreneur, ventured into the organic fertilizer business, as this product was in high demand and extensively used by paddy farmers in Malaysia and was subsidized by the government. However, Hicotech failed to get government contract to supply organic fertilizer under the government subsidy program. As such, it had to compete in the open market which was dominated by already-established Chinese entrepreneurs. At the beginning, SOF was doing well in the market, but, during 2007, Hicotech experienced great financial loss due to its mismanagement of collecting payment from its customers. Hicotech tried to work in partnership with ABH Mega Sendirian Berhad to overcome its financial difficulties. However, due to some disagreements, the collaboration was terminated within a short period of time. From 2005 to the end of 2009, Hicotech was not able to pay any royalties to MARDI and the license of Hicotech was to expire in February 2010. Haji Sani was trying to get a solution to revive SOF in the market. Moreover, he was confused whether to renew the license of SOF IPR with Hicotech or to search for another company. Expected learning outcomes Using this case, students can learn how a small- and/or medium-scale companies can strategize their new product launch. Based on the given industry scenario, students can realize the potential challenges that are related to launching a new product. Furthermore, this case demonstrates that producing a high-quality product is not enough to succeed in the market; the right strategy also plays an important role in making it successful. Last, it can be also learned that proper managerial control and financial support are two important factors that contributes in any business success. Overall, strategic marketing/management students will learn the importance of adopting proper strategy, while the students who are undertaking the new product development course benefit by seeing the practical situation of a new product launch, its rise and its fall. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Energy audit for sustainable wetland paddy cultivation in Malaysia

An on-the-farm evaluation of energy inputs and output in 40 farms was conducted to determine the distributions of six main energy sources (i.e. human, fuel, machinery, seeds, fertilizer and pesticides) used in wetland paddy cultivation in Malaysia. The average paddy yield was found to be 7625 kg/ha with total energy input of 16,440 MJ/ha, energy output/input ratio of 7.76 and energy intensity of 2.16 MJ/kg. Compared to energy intensities for the production of rice in China, India and Thailand of 3.91, 3.50 and 4.44 MJ/kg respectively, paddy farmers in Malaysia used the least energy per unit of paddy produced. Almost 84% of the total energy input used in the cultivation was from fossil-based non-renewable resources, of which fertilizer, fuel, pesticides and machinery accounted for 60, 17, 4 and 3% respectively. The share contributions from seed, human labor and organic fertilizer which constituted the renewable resources were 15, 0.25 and 0.22% respectively. The benefit-cost ratio and total cost of production were 1.37 and RM6, 657/ha respectively. The fitted regression model revealed a direct relationship of yield with fuel, machinery, fertilizer, pesticides and seed energy expenditures and an inverse relationship of yield with the human energy expenditure.

Inter-organization Communication Management between Organizations in a Subsidized Fertilizer Market in Malaysia

Inter-Organization Communication (IOC) is one of the used communication disciplines to communicate between two or more organizations. It is proven vital to sustain relationship between organizations particularly between consumers and suppliers. However, there is still lack of empirical research and findings in the subsidized market. Malaysian paddy farmers have been receiving fertilizers subsidy since 1971 making the environment of subsidized market stand more than 40 years long. The relation between Area Farmer Organization known as Pertubuhan Peladang Kawasan (PPK) and the subsidized fertilizer supplier has now extended to 30 years. PPKs are responsible on the procurement process of the subsidized fertilizer from the supplier. This paper presents a preliminary findings based on IOC theories of communication management between PPKs and the supplier based on the perspectives of the PPK. It will critically discuss the elements of IOC and communication commitments based on the perspectives of PPKs. Thirteen PPKs from Kemubu Agriculture Development Authority (KADA) granary area were involved in this study. The results indicate organization communication willingness, behaviour, and quality as communication commitment of the PPKs.