PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s prime agricultural body has joined forces with government agencies, research institutions and global organisations including the International Rice Research Institute to pioneer initiatives to address the effects of climate change on crops
.“We will focus on developing cutting-edge techniques, technologies and practices that can mitigate the impact of rising temperatures on rice and other agricultural output,” said Dr Mohd Shukri Mat Ali @ Ibrahim of the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi).
“Among the measures introduced by Mardi is the development of rice varieties with drought-tolerant genes known as QTLs (DTY) which have demonstrated a yield advantage of 0.5 tonne/ha in drought conditions.”
Additionally, he said Mardi was creating high-yielding rice varieties resilient to floods, salinity and droughts.
Mohd Shukri, who is the director of Mardi’s Agrobiodiversity and Environment Research Centre, also emphasised the importance of water-saving techniques like alternate wetting and drying (AWD) for optimising water usage efficiency. As such, there is a need for improved irrigation and infrastructure in Malaysia’s rice granary areas to ensure a stable water supply during droughts, he said when contacted.Mohd Shukri said farmers should adhere to planting schedules provided by agencies such as Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada), Integrated Agricultural Development Area (Lada) and Kemubu Agricultural Development Authority (Kada), and employ dry rotation and seeding practices when water resources are limited. Furthermore, Mardi provides training to farmers to enhance their awareness of climate-smart farming methods, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate extreme climate events.According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), the El Nino conditions will persist until March next year with a probability exceeding 95% of decreased rainfall and precipitation.
Malaysia Rice Grain Wholesalers Association secretary Allen Lim said that while Malaysia’s climate is conducive to rice cultivation, drought remains a foremost concern for farmers.
Lim, a rice farmer in Sekinchan, said over a decade ago that the rice transplanting method introduced from Taiwan successfully increased rice yield in Sekinchan from eight to 12 tonnes.
“Malaysia’s climate is suited for rice cultivation but we are more concerned about drought and climate change, which can affect rice yields.
“In the past three to four years, due to climate change, there has been a reduction of 5% in rice harvest because it didn’t rain when it was supposed to and it rained when it shouldn’t have.
“However, it is still sufficient to supply the local market,” Lim said.
In view of the forecast from MetMalaysia indicating further worsening of the hot weather next year, Lim said farmers will take preventive measures, such as water storage.
“Fortunately, the transplanting method does not require much water. We have experienced a month without rain before. Rice can grow as long as we can bring in water from other sources to the fields.
“Malaysia will still receive blessings from nature. And there will always be ways to address the issue of water supply in the fields. However, we are more concerned about extreme climate changes,” he added.
