Illiteracy in Agroecology is the Biggest Challenge of Malaysian Rice Farmers to Practice Integrated Pest Management

ASM Sc. J., 21(1), 2026

Published on May 29, 2026

https://doi.org/10.32802/asmscj.2026.1957

Author: Jiunn Luh Tan, Wei Chuen Soh, Yi'En Leong

Abstract

Twenty-six percent of global rice is produced in Southeast Asia, yet rice shortages remain a regional concern. Integrated pest management (IPM) has been promoted for decades to improve yields, but its adoption in Malaysia remains low. The reasons for this need to be investigated, as Malaysia aims to produce safer, higher-quality food. A survey was conducted in two paddy areas using a questionnaire to assess paddy farmers’ knowledge of IPM-related topics. The study found that all respondents still rely on chemical pest control methods. Respondents scored well in their knowledge of insecticides, pest symptoms, and arthropod pests and their ecology, with average scores of 71.9%, 71.5%, and 70.2%, respectively. However, they performed poorly on topics related to natural enemies and their ecology, with an average score of 36%. The generalised linear model revealed that age, farming experience, and levels of educations did not significantly affect knowledge of insecticides, pest symptoms, and arthropod pests and their ecology. However, higher levels of education were predicted to improve scores on topics related natural enemies and their ecology. Based on these findings, farmer education is recommended to enhance their knowledge of biological control, with the hope of promoting higher adoption of IPM in Malaysia.

Keywords: farmers knowledge, farming practice, Oryza sativa, pest control, sustainable agriculture