March 27, 2024

Only 11% of Malaysian agri-food smallholders have government certification

A recent survey conducted among smallholders across various agri-food sectors in Malaysia unveiled a significant gap in adherence to the Malaysian Standard for crops, aquaculture, and livestock, with only 11% of smallholders complying with the country's certification known as MyGAP, Business Times reported.

The survey, part of Khazanah Nasional Bhd's efforts under the Food and Energy Security theme in Dana Impak, aimed to understand the challenges faced by Malaysian smallholders and was funded by Khazanah Nasional in collaboration with Khazanah Research Institute (KRI) and Think City.

Examining 3,300 agri-food smallholders nationwide, the survey revealed disparities in MyGAP adoption rates, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak, among individuals with lower education levels, and those with shorter farming experience.

KRI's latest report, "Understanding the Landscape of Agri-food Smallholders in Malaysia: Climate Risks, Sustainable Standards, and Gender Gap," addresses critical issues such as climate risks, farm sustainability certificate adoption, and gender gaps among smallholders.

While MyGAP certification offers significant benefits, including improved financial literacy and market stability, its adoption remains low due to limited awareness and bureaucratic hurdles in the application process.

KRI proposed targeted initiatives to boost MyGAP adoption, especially among marginalised groups and in regions like Sabah and Sarawak. Streamlining the application process and exploring incentives for group certification could further incentivise smallholders to embrace the programme despite its compliance costs.

-      Business Times