Innovations crucial for sustainable agriculture
IN Malaysia, the trend toward organic agriculture has seen significant growth since the early 2000s. From just 131ha of organic farms in 2001, the number grew 18-fold to 2,367ha by 2006. Despite this expansion, organic agriculture remains a niche market in Malaysia, constituting only 0.01% of total agricultural land area.
Moreover, the number of organic-certified farms has not expanded substantially. Today, it stands at just 436ha across 55 farms that have maintained their myorganic certification since 2008.
While the demand for organic food in Malaysia is high, domestic supply is struggling to keep pace. As a result, Malaysia imports approximately 60% of its organic food to meet local demands, and the prices of these products are significantly higher, ranging from 50% to 300% more than those of conventional foods.
Organic farming is often perceived as a holistic and environment-friendly approach to agriculture. However, several substantial challenges remain. For example, organic farms generally yield 40% - 50% less than conventional farms.
This significant disparity means that to match the output of conventional methods, organic farming would require much more land – up to 67% more in developed countries – without accounting for ongoing population growth. This requirement could lead to deforestation and the increased use of marginal soils, which could accelerate erosion and degradation.
Moreover, the common use of natural pesticides such as pyrethroids and copper sulfate in organic farming carries documented environmental and health risks.
In addition, managing the nutrient supply through organic fertilisers is challenging. Organic manures often do not release nutrients in sync with crop demand. This mismatch can lead to nutrient leaching, particularly that of nitrogen, which can be more severe with organic fertilisers than their synthetic counterparts.
Another critical aspect is the nutrient content of natural fertilisers, particularly nitrogen. Animal manure, which has a higher nitrogen content than plant wastes, still contain only 2% - 4% nitrogen. The limited availability of animal manure and reliance on residues from conventional farms for compost materials further complicate the situation.
Furthermore, the lower yields in organic farming mean that less biomass is produced, subsequently forming less soil organic matter and sequestering less carbon. Intensive mechanical weed control, often employed in organic farming, can also accelerate the decomposition of soil organic matter.
Given these challenges, it is increasingly clear that neither traditional organic farming nor conventional agriculture can fully address the pressing needs of sustainable food production. Today, the focus is shifting toward sustainable agriculture, a model that seeks to balance food production with environmental and societal well-being.
Sustainable agriculture involves the integration of three main goals – environmental health, economic profitability, and social equity. Techniques such as crop rotation, permaculture, integrated pest management and agroforestry are employed not only to improve productivity but also to restore ecosystem health, reduce pollution, and enhance biodiversity through more optimal use of resources.
This approach recognises the need for innovations that are both economically viable and environmentally responsible.
In Malaysia, the adoption of sustainable practices is crucial. Innovations like padi intensification, which conserves water and boosts yield, and the use of biofertilisers and biopesticides are becoming more common. Smart agriculture technologies such as drones (pic) and aerial imaging, automated irrigation systems and greenhouses, and soil and crop sensors are reducing the guesswork in farming, decreasing reliance on chemicals, cutting costs, and improving the health of our ecosystems.
But success hinges on collaboration among farmers, businesses, the government and consumers.