Issues and challenges of sustainable agriculture in the Cameron Highlands

The challenge of producing enough food is increasingly affecting almost all developing countries as they prioritise support for industry ahead of agriculture. However, in recent decades, many countries, including Malaysia, have realised the need for food security and self-sufficiency and have emb...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors:	Barrow, C.J, Ngai Weng, Chan, Tarmiji Masron
Format:	Article
Language:	English
Published:	Environmental Management Society, Malaysia 2009
Online Access:	http://journalarticle.ukm.my/2290/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/2290/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/2290/1/MJEM_2009_6_Barrow__ok_.pdf

id	ukm-2290
recordtype	eprints
spelling	ukm-22902016-12-14T06:31:11Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/2290/ Issues and challenges of sustainable agriculture in the Cameron Highlands Barrow, C.J, Ngai Weng, Chan Tarmiji Masron, The challenge of producing enough food is increasingly affecting almost all developing countries as they prioritise support for industry ahead of agriculture. However, in recent decades, many countries, including Malaysia, have realised the need for food security and self-sufficiency and have embarked on an intensive agricultural programme. Consequently, many tropical highlands suitable for crops are suffering environmental damage through intensive farming with little or no enforcement and control. The Cameron Highlands of Malaysia is an example whereby large tracts of pristine montane forests have been cleared for intensive farming, both for food crops and flowers. This paper examines how farmers, with little government help, interact with environment, changing markets, infrastructure development, indigenous peoples, tourism, and other factors. The paper is based on detailed observation and interviews with farmers, grower associations, government officers and indigenous people to gather information related to farming, land degradation, threats to production and possible sustainable farming options. The results show that Cameron Highlands farmers, despite being left alone facing great challenges, are adapting well and are often flourishing. Many have intensified production, and some are moving toward less environmentally-damaging sustainable strategies. Pressure from NGOs and civil society with stricter government regulation has led to better control of land clearance and degradation, but this has forced farmers to move to neighbouring states. Organic farming is taking off though only a small percentage of growers are involved. Overall, the farmers have demonstrated great resilience, learnt new techniques, initiated and supported more environmentally friendly farming methods, and adapted well to environmental and socio-economic change with little or no outside help Environmental Management Society, Malaysia 2009 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/2290/1/MJEM_2009_6_Barrow__ok_.pdf Barrow, C.J, and Ngai Weng, Chan and Tarmiji Masron, (2009) Issues and challenges of sustainable agriculture in the Cameron Highlands. Malaysian Journal of Environmental Management, 10 (2). pp. 89-114. ISSN 1511-7855 http://www.ems-malaysia.org/mjem/index.html
repository_type	Digital Repository
institution_category	Local University
institution	Universiti Kebangasaan Malaysia
building	UKM Institutional Repository
collection	Online Access
language	English
description	The challenge of producing enough food is increasingly affecting almost all developing countries as they prioritise support for industry ahead of agriculture. However, in recent decades, many countries, including Malaysia, have realised the need for food security and self-sufficiency and have embarked on an intensive agricultural programme. Consequently, many tropical highlands suitable for crops are suffering environmental damage through intensive farming with little or no enforcement and control. The Cameron Highlands of Malaysia is an example whereby large tracts of pristine montane forests have been cleared for intensive farming, both for food crops and flowers. This paper examines how farmers, with little government help, interact with environment, changing markets, infrastructure development, indigenous peoples, tourism, and other factors. The paper is based on detailed observation and interviews with farmers, grower associations, government officers and indigenous people to gather information related to farming, land degradation, threats to production and possible sustainable farming options. The results show that Cameron Highlands farmers, despite being left alone facing great challenges, are adapting well and are often flourishing. Many have intensified production, and some are moving toward less environmentally-damaging sustainable strategies. Pressure from NGOs and civil society with stricter government regulation has led to better control of land clearance and degradation, but this has forced farmers to move to neighbouring states. Organic farming is taking off though only a small percentage of growers are involved. Overall, the farmers have demonstrated great resilience, learnt new techniques, initiated and supported more environmentally friendly farming methods, and adapted well to environmental and socio-economic change with little or no outside help
format	Article
author	Barrow, C.J, Ngai Weng, Chan Tarmiji Masron,
spellingShingle	Barrow, C.J, Ngai Weng, Chan Tarmiji Masron, Issues and challenges of sustainable agriculture in the Cameron Highlands
author_facet	Barrow, C.J, Ngai Weng, Chan Tarmiji Masron,
author_sort	Barrow, C.J,
title	Issues and challenges of sustainable agriculture in the Cameron Highlands
title_short	Issues and challenges of sustainable agriculture in the Cameron Highlands
title_full	Issues and challenges of sustainable agriculture in the Cameron Highlands
title_fullStr	Issues and challenges of sustainable agriculture in the Cameron Highlands
title_full_unstemmed	Issues and challenges of sustainable agriculture in the Cameron Highlands
title_sort	issues and challenges of sustainable agriculture in the cameron highlands
publisher	Environmental Management Society, Malaysia
publishDate	2009
url	http://journalarticle.ukm.my/2290/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/2290/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/2290/1/MJEM_2009_6_Barrow__ok_.pdf
first_indexed	2023-09-18T19:35:41Z
last_indexed	2023-09-18T19:35:41Z
_version_	1777405254881509376

Issues and challenges of sustainable agriculture in the Cameron Highlands

Similar Items