Aquaculture Global Production & Malaysia Insights

Aquaculture Global Production & Malaysia's Role

• Global aquaculture production in 2019 reached 122.6 million tonnes, valued at USD 281.5 billion.
• Asia-Pacific is the highest producer, with Malaysia ranking 15th globally and 6th in Asia.

Malaysia's Aquaculture Industry

• 2018 aquaculture production in Malaysia was 521,000 tonnes.
• Aquaculture contributes 8.9% to Malaysia's agricultural GDP.
• It supports 1.75 million jobs.
• Primary marine products are clams (54%), shrimps (22.4%), and giant tiger prawns (17.3%).
• Key freshwater products are tilapia (44.7%), catfish (36.7%), and carps (10.08%).
• Ornamental fish and aquatic plants are also valued commodities.

Challenges and Issues in Aquaculture

• Unsustainable practices lead to pollution, ecosystem damage, and biodiversity loss.
• Reliance on wild and imported broodstock affects sustainability.
• Overfishing, pollution, and climate change reduce wild fish stocks.
• Diseases like Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV) and Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) impact production.
• Negative media influence reduces demand, especially for tilapia.
• Labor shortages increase operational challenges.
• Non-halal aquaculture practices may conflict with Malaysia's halal status.
• Poor communication between industry players and authorities hampers growth.

Urban Agriculture: Definition and Overview

• Urban agriculture involves cultivating, processing, and distributing food in or around cities.
• Includes animal husbandry, aquaculture, agroforestry, beekeeping, and horticulture.
• Aims to provide fresh food, create jobs, recycle waste, and enhance urban resilience.
• Common practices include community gardens, rooftop gardening, vertical farming.

Urban Agriculture Impacts

• Reduces household food expenses.
• Encourages micro-enterprises and local economic activities.
• Optimizes land use, improves landscapes, and supports organic farming.
• Enhances urban ecology through reuse of waste and wastewater.
• Alleviates poverty and integrates marginalized groups.
• Promotes social cohesion.
• Helps reduce Malaysia's dependency on imported food.
• Increases access to nutritious produce.

Urban Agriculture Key Technologies

• Aquaponics: Combines fish farming with soilless plant cultivation.
• Hydroponics: Grows plants in nutrient-rich water without soil.
• Aeroponics: Uses misted nutrient solutions for plant roots.
• Vertical Farming: Employs vertically stacked layers to maximize space.

Government Initiatives for Urban Agriculture

• Establishment of urban farming communities (target: 20,000 by 2030).
• Urban agriculture as part of sustainable development efforts.
• Initiatives to reduce urban living costs.
• Promotion of technologies like aquaponics, hydroponics.

Challenges in Malaysian Agriculture

• Limited agricultural land due to deforestation.
• Agriculture's high water consumption.
• Low productivity of smallholder farmers.
• Declining global Total Factor Productivity (TFP).
• Mismatch between production and market demand.
• Unconducive business environment (short land tenure, inadequate facilities).
• Pests, natural disasters, and overfishing.
• Unsustainable practices harm biodiversity.
• Youth disengagement.
• Reluctance of financial institutions to fund agriculture.
• Lack of adequate insurance and risk management.
• Issues with coordination among agencies.
• Overlap in roles between federal and state levels.
• Low-investment for high-value commodities.
• Changing global diets (e.g., increased demand for protein-based foods).
• Urbanization leading to higher food consumption.
• Strong competition from neighboring countries and inadequate regulation.

Technological Innovations in Agriculture

• Precision Farming using GPS for variable input application.
• Robotics, AI, and automation for crop monitoring and cultivation.
• Satellite technology and blockchain for supply chain transparency.

Sustainability in Agriculture

• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and biological control methods.
• Developing drought-resistant and disease-resistant crops.
• Improving nutrient uptake and utilization.
• Increased resource efficiency.

Government Strategies and Incentives for Malaysian Agriculture

• Allocating funds for agricultural development.
• Supporting research and development.
• Promoting sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture.
• Incentives for technology adoption.
• Improving market access and financing.