The impacts of climate change on paddy production In Malaysia: case of paddy farming in Northwest Selangor

Abstract

Climate change has strong negative impacts on agricultural sustainability in Malaysia, which is expected to result in long-term water and other resource shortages, worsening soil condition, disease and pest outbreaks on crops and livestock, sea-level rise, and so on. Vulnerable areas are expected to experience losses in agricultural productivity due to reductions in crop yields. The farmers are the most vulnerable group who are affected directly through the changes of climate. The socioeconomic status of the farmers - income, poverty level, health, unemployment, demography, education, social status, land ownership, psychology etc. are strongly influenced through climate changes. This empirical study develops a theoretical and methodological framework to determine the way how climate change affects the socioeconomic variables of farmers. To determine the socioeconomic impacts of climate change on farmers, this study relies on a survey conducting on farmers in the area of Integrated Agricultural Development Area (LADA), West Selangor, Malaysia. This paper also provides policy recommendations and action plans to adapt the farmers to cope up properly with climate change.