This systematic review focuses on the relationship between the factors of adaptation strategies and the impact of climate change among farmers in Southeast Asia. Climate change, a phenomenon that occurs over many years, has affected the lives of farmers in the agricultural sector. Therefore, it is essential to analyse the factors that affect farmers’ decisions to determine their ability to adapt to climate change and maintain their livelihoods. As such, the present study examines farmers’ understanding of climate change and its impact on adaptation strategies in Southeast Asia. Approximately 15 related studies were found based on a systematic review of the repositories from Scopus and the Web of Sciences using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Hence, the paper delineates five key themes: (1) sociodemographic factors, (2) physical capital, (3) assistance, (4) information, and (5) social networking. Therefore, the results underlining the determinant factors, such as income, household members, farm size, land, number of workers, access to information, education, experiences, training, support from agencies, and social networks, influence the adaptation strategies among Southeast Asian farmers. This systematic review study emphasises information accessibility, education, training, and income as the most important factors for developing adaptation strategies for farmers to deal with climate change, rather than programme, internet usage, relatives, and the number of workers. Finally, combining the main factors can promote technological advancement for farmers who rely on agriculture as their main source of income and help farmers deal with climate variability to sustain their livelihood.

The east coast of Malaysia is frequently hit by monsoon floods every year that severely impact people, particularly those living close to the river bank, which is considered to be the most vulnerable and high-risk areas. We aim to determine the most vulnerable area and understand affected residents of this community who are living in the most sensitive areas caused by flooding events in districts of Temerloh, Pekan, and Kuantan, Pahang. This study involved collecting data for vulnerability index components. A field survey and face-to-face interviews with 602 respondents were conducted 6 months after the floods by using a questionnaire evaluation based on the livelihood vulnerability index (LVI). The findings show that residents in the Temerloh district are at higher risk of flooding damage compared to those living in Pekan and Kuantan. Meanwhile, the contribution factor of LVI-Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) showed that Kuantan is more exposed to the impact of climate change, followed by Temerloh and Pekan. Among all the principal components shown, food components were considered to be the most vulnerable. Meanwhile, water components were categorised as the most invulnerable. Preventive planning involves preserving human life, minimising damage to household products, preserving crops and animals, adequate supply of clean water and food, good health and ensuring financial sustainability as an indication of changing livelihoods, sustainable food-storing systems, and other protective steps to curb damage and injury caused by annual flood strikes. Information generated on LVI assessment and adaptation procedures will help policymakers reduce people’s vulnerability in the face of floods and ensure proper plans are put in place in all relevant areas.

The rapid growth of economy and increasing cost of living in Malaysia have given significant impact especially to the lowest household income population. The main objective of this study was to determine risk factors for low quality of life (QOL) and poor health status of this population. This was a cross sectional study design. A total of 347 respondents from low household income groups, including persons with disability and Orang Asli were recruited from E-kasih. A semi-guided self-administered questionnaire was used. QOL measured by EQ. 5D utility value and health status measured by visual analogue score (VAS). Descriptive statistic, bivariate Chi-square analysis and binary logistic regression were conducted to determine factors influencing low QOL and poor health status. Majority of the respondents were Malay, female (61%), 63% were married, 60% were employed and 46% with total household income of less than 1 thousand Ringgit Malaysia. 70% of them were not having any chronic medical problems. Factors that associated with low QOL were male, single, low household income, and present chronic medical illness, while poor health status associated with female, lower education level and present chronic medical illness. Logistic regression analysis has showed that determinants of low QOL was present chronic illness [AOR 4.15 95%CI (2.42, 7.13)], while determinants for poor health status were; female [AOR 1.94 95%CI (1.09,3.44)], lower education [AOR 3.07 95%CI (1.28,7.34)] and present chronic illness [AOR 2.53 95%CI (1.39,4.61)]. Low socioeconomic population defined as low total household income in this study. Low QOL of this population determined by present chronic illness, while poor health status determined by gender, education level and chronic medical illness.

Population growth is the major reason for increased food demands and countries face difficult challenges in ensuring food security. This study was conducted to investigate the prospects of urban agriculture (UA) development in Penang state, Malaysia, from the experts’ perspective, particularly on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT). Fifty-seven Penang state stakeholders were interviewed. This study applied qualitative analysis method using SWOT analysis to identify and prioritize strategies for urban agricultural development in order to assist planners to manage urban agriculture for achieving food security in urban areas. Based on the results of the SWOT analysis, strategic plans for urban agriculture development system were prioritized into legal framework, financial, infrastructure, land, water, environment and health, social, marketing, and research and development aspects. Finally, a number of strategies for sustainable development of urban agriculture were outlined in order to reduce the weaknesses, avoid the threats, improve the strengths, and grasp the opportunities for the development of urban agriculture production in the Penang state.

Recently, the contributions of the soil in various ecosystems have become more prominent with the recognition of its role as a carbon sink and the potential of that in reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2), which is a vital greenhouse gas, from the atmosphere. Conversely, the soil capacity to increase the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere through mineralization of organic matter is also a source of concern. Mineralization of only 10% of the soil organic carbon pool globally is believed to be equivalent to about 30 years of anthropogenic emissions. This underscores the need to preventing carbon loss (emission) from the soil resource. Globally, the soil contains a large carbon pool estimated at approximately 1500Gt of organic carbon in the first one meter of the soil profile. This is much higher than the 560 Gt of carbon (C) found in the biotic pool and twice more than atmospheric CO2. By holding this huge carbon stock, the soil is preventing carbon dioxide build up in the atmosphere which will confound the problem of climate change. There are a lot of strategies used in sequestering carbon in different soils, however, many challenges are being encountered in making them cost effective and widely acceptable.