Application of smart farming technology in rice farming activity is relevant in facing the challenges in achieving food security and improving the wellbeing of farmers. In Malaysia, food security is synonymous with the adequacy of rice domestic supply for the Malaysian population. Therefore, to achieve the target set in Sustainable Development Goal 2 which is to achieve zero hunger, the rice sector needs to be more competitive by encouraging farmers to utilize modern technology. Smart farming is an emerging concept of farm management that combines information and communication technologies into modern machinery like IoT, drones, and Artificial Intelligence to increase the value of agricultural products as well as reduce the cost of production while improving the well-being of farmers through income increment. Therefore, this study is conducted to explore the adoption of smart farming among paddy farmers in one of the country’s granary areas which is in Barat Laut Selangor under the administration of the Integrated Agriculture Development Area. This study will employ qualitative methods and interviews will be conducted. This study is urgently needed due to the twofold agenda: Malaysia is moving towards a high-income country and the importance for food security assurance has been acknowledged.

Applications of smart farming have been introduced as a way out of various production issues in the agriculture sector, especially during the occurrence of COVID-19. Several technical studies have also been done to develop the modules that meet the operational requirements in Malaysia and determine their benefits and impacts on farmers. Despite the availability of smart farming technologies and their benefits to farmers’ productivity and profitability, adoption of smart farming among Malaysian farmers, especially in rural areas, remains a challenge. Therefore, a qualitative study among farmers in Sarawak and Sabah was conducted to determine the challenges that arise with the adoption of smart farming technologies. The results highlighted that farmer faced challenges in regard to the high startup cost of technology, lack of expertise and knowledge on technologies, connectivity and access in rural areas, farm size, and governmental support. In practice, this study also discussed the challenges of adopting smart farming mentioned by participants and some possible solutions for future attention.

Mapping the demand for ecosystem services (ES) is a profoundly debated research topic that needs to be investigated further to overcome spatial discrepancies between supply and demand in the literature. This study proposes a holistic approach to valuing ES, which is demanded by local people living adjacent to Sabah’s protected area in the southwestern part of Sabah, Malaysia. To assess the local people's demand for ecosystem services, we applied the 'ES Matrix Assessment' method. Timber, global climate regulation, recreation, and ecotourism are selected to illustrate the changes in ES demand patterns reported in the Klias Peninsula region. To identify the ES required by local people based on land-cover type, we used a weighted arithmetic mean approach. Then, using multiple regressions, we identified socio-demographic characteristics that influence demand for ES obtained from the Klias Peninsula's tropical forest. The 6-point Likert scale results showed that timber received medium (3) to highly relevant demand (4) among local people in the forest ecosystem, while climate regulation demand was the most highly relevant demand (5) in the forest ecosystem, and recreation and ecotourism are highly demanded in the forest ecosystem and water-based area. Overall, ethnicity, source(s) of income, distance from the protected area, length of residence, and education level have influenced the population's perception of ecosystem service demand in peat swamp forest, mangrove, and forest land, and these factors are statistically significant at the 1% to 5% levels. Our approach possesses the advantage of being intuitively straightforward, making it easy to convey to stakeholders and decision-makers across various ecosystem service (ES) applications. Therefore, our approach, while relatively simple, remains realistic and easy to apply, effectively raising awareness about the utility of the ecosystem services concept for stakeholders and policymakers.

Enhancing farm production through smart farming technology is crucial for addressing the challenges of achieving food security and improving the well-being of farmers. Aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2), which is intended to tackle food insecurity and malnutrition while improving livelihood, smart farming integrates technologies such as IoT, drones, and artificial intelligence into agricultural practices. This innovation optimizes input like water, fertilizer, and pesticide, reduces operation costs, and increases productivity and profits. Food security in Malaysia is measured based on the adequacy of the population's domestic rice supply. Smart farming offers a transformative approach to modern agriculture, focusing on increasing value while reducing costs. Therefore, this study aims to explore challenges and adoption factors among paddy farmers in Barat Laut Selangor, under the administration of the Integrated Agriculture Development Area (IADA). An exploratory qualitative study involved the interview approach with selected rice farmers who applied smart farming as suggested by IADA. The thematic analysis was used to understand the factors that contribute to the adoption of smart farming among rice farmers and its challenges. This research is critical, given Malaysia is moving towards a high-income country, where sustainability becomes the main agenda in any sector specifically agriculture; and the country has acknowledged the importance of food security assurance. By identifying the challenges and adoption factors, this study aims to provide actionable insights to support sustainable agricultural practices and strengthen Malaysia's food security framework.

The emergence of the internet as a global phenomenon is swiftly reshaping consumers' shopping habits and the process of purchasing goods and services. Consumers now have access to a wide array of products and services, especially with the aid of e-commerce. Additionally, companies can analyse consumer behaviour and gain a deeper understanding of their habits with the assistance of e-commerce or social media. The objective of this research is to ascertain the factors that impact consumers' intention to buy agricultural products. In April 2022, we performed an online consumer survey among 200 internet shoppers in Jakarta, Indonesia. The data was then analyzed using the WarpPLS software and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Our research showed that among the respondents, women, with an average age of 20–25 accounted for nearly 60% of respondents who purchased agricultural produce online in Jakarta. Moreover, SEM-PLS method revealed that the following factors had highly significant effects on consumers' purchasing intention to buy agricultural products in Indonesia: consumer behavior, subjective norms, demographic variables, time savings, and convenience. In light of these findings, it offers valuable technical and practical implications for agribusiness management and policymakers.

Palm oil is an incredibly efficient crop because it is a natural, renewable resource with multiple uses. It is used in food, cosmetics and even biofuel. It is used in food products, detergents, cosmetics and even biofuel. The palm oil industry employs millions of people and is an essential source of income for many developing countries. Smart agriculture is the future for Malaysian oil palm plantations via the adoption of new technology. It will provide a solid foundation for precision agriculture to increase productivity in oil palm production. The purpose of this study is to discover the benefits of smart agriculture in oil palm estates in Malaysia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain an in-depth understanding of the benefits of the technology in oil palm estate. Interviews were conducted with a total of twelve estate managers and assistant managers of oil palm estates in Malaysia. The interview was transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Based on the findings, the participant mentioned that the use of smart agriculture technology has helped the estate in terms of increasing efficiency, reducing labour use and saving time. Therefore, with these transformative technologies, the oil palm industry will continue to thrive to ensure that this industry remains viable and sustainable.