IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bcp/journl/v9y2025issue-5p24-31.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Emerging Idle Land Issues and Challenges in Malaysia: A Review on the Implications for National Food Security

Author

Listed:
  • Norhisham Rahmat

    (Department of Real Estate, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, University Technology Malaysia)

  • Muhamad Norfiqiri Hamid

    (Department of Real Estate, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, University Technology Malaysia)

Abstract

Idle land presents a critical yet often overlooked issue in the context of global food security. Understanding this issue is vital for managing unutilized land resources to enhance our national food stability. This study aims to investigate the challenges and implications of idle agricultural land on food production and availability in Malaysia. The importance of this study lies in its potential to bridge a significant gap in the literature by examining why agricultural lands remain idle and how these lands can be utilized more effectively. Based on a scoping review methodology, this research synthesizes existing literature according to past studies to identify the key reasons for land idleness. The findings reveal several significant barriers to land utilization. These reasons include economic constraints, social barriers, and environmental challenges. Additionally, environmental factors like soil degradation and climate change also play a crucial role in keeping land stay idle. Thus, key issues such as land tenure problems, inadequate infrastructure, and socio-economic constraints are also highlighted. This study contributes to the academic discourse by providing a nuanced understanding of the factors preventing the effective use of land especially on agricultural land that will impact to our food production and food security. In conclusion, the practical implications of this study emphasize the need for policy interventions and strategic planning. By unlocking the potential of idle lands, targeted policies could significantly mitigate food insecurity and promote sustainable agricultural practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Norhisham Rahmat & Muhamad Norfiqiri Hamid, 2025. "Emerging Idle Land Issues and Challenges in Malaysia: A Review on the Implications for National Food Security," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(5), pages 24-31, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:9:y:2025:issue-5:p:24-31
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/Digital-Library/volume-9-issue-5/24-31.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/articles/emerging-idle-land-issues-and-challenges-in-malaysia-a-review-on-the-implications-for-national-food-security/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Maxwell, Daniel G., 1996. "Measuring food insecurity: the frequency and severity of "coping strategies"," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 291-303, July.
    2. Smith, Lisa C. & Haddad, Lawrence, 2015. "Reducing Child Undernutrition: Past Drivers and Priorities for the Post-MDG Era," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 180-204.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dorothee Bühler & Rebecca Hartje & Ulrike Grote, 2018. "Matching food security and malnutrition indicators: evidence from Southeast Asia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 49(4), pages 481-495, July.
    2. Olayemi, Adebayo Oyefunke, 2012. "Effects of Family Size on Household Food Security in Osun State, Nigeria," Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development, Asian Economic and Social Society (AESS), vol. 2(02), pages 1-7, June.
    3. Sékou Amadou Traoré & Christoph Reiber & Bekele Megersa & Anne Valle Zárate, 2018. "Contribution of cattle of different breeds to household food security in southern Mali," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(3), pages 549-560, June.
    4. Smith, Lisa C., 1998. "Can FAO's measure of chronic undernourishment be strengthened?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 23(5), pages 425-445, October.
    5. Augsburg, Britta & Rodríguez-Lesmes, Paul Andrés, 2018. "Sanitation and child health in India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 22-39.
    6. Andres, L. & Lebailly, Philippe, 2013. "The coping strategies to fight against the food insecurity in the Republic of Niger," 2013 Second Congress, June 6-7, 2013, Parma, Italy 149932, Italian Association of Agricultural and Applied Economics (AIEAA).
    7. Maxwell, Daniel & Ahiadeke, Clement & Levin, Carol & Armar-Klemesu, Margaret & Zakariah, Sawudatu & Lamptey, Grace Mary, 1999. "Alternative food-security indicators: revisiting the frequency and severity of 'coping strategies'," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 411-429, August.
    8. Edeh, Hyacinth Onuorah & Gyimah-Brempong, Kwabena, 2014. "Determinants of Change and Household Responses to Food Insecurity: Empirical Evidence from Nigeria," 88th Annual Conference, April 9-11, 2014, AgroParisTech, Paris, France 169750, Agricultural Economics Society.
    9. Cuicui Ding & Khatib Ahmad Khan & Hauwah K. K. AbdulKareem & Siddharth Kumar & Leon Moise Minani & Shujaat Abbas, 2024. "Towards a healthier future for the achievement of SDGs: unveiling the effects of agricultural financing, energy poverty, human capital, and corruption on malnutrition," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-12, December.
    10. Kusunose, Yoko & Lybbert, Travis J., 2014. "Coping with Drought by Adjusting Land Tenancy Contracts: A Model and Evidence from Rural Morocco," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 114-126.
    11. Nkechi S. Owoo, 2021. "Demographic considerations and food security in Nigeria," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 23(1), pages 128-167, June.
    12. Benjamin Davis, 2002. "Is it Possible to Avoid a Lemon? Reflections on Choosing a Poverty Mapping Method," Working Papers in Food Policy and Nutrition 08, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.
    13. Marina Mastrorillo & Antonio Scognamillo & Camille Ginet & Rebecca Pietrelli & Marco D’Errico & Adriana Ignaciuk, 2024. "Is the self-reliance strategy sustainable? Evidence from assistance programmes to refugees in Uganda," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 16(6), pages 1587-1617, December.
    14. Bühler, Dorothee & Hartje, Rebecca & Ulrike Grote, 2017. "Can household food security predict individual undernutrition? Evidence from Cambodia and Lao PDR," Hannover Economic Papers (HEP) dp-594, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät.
    15. Feleke, Shiferaw T. & Kilmer, Richard L. & Gladwin, Christina H., 2003. "Determinants Of Food Security In Southern Ethiopia," 2003 Annual meeting, July 27-30, Montreal, Canada 22010, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    16. Yunhee Chang & Swarn Chatterjee & Jinhee Kim, 2014. "Household Finance and Food Insecurity," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 35(4), pages 499-515, December.
    17. Sébastien Mary & Kelsey Shaw & Sergio Gomez y Paloma, 2019. "Does the sectoral composition of growth affect child stunting reductions?," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 37(2), pages 225-244, March.
    18. Swaminathan, Harini & Sharma, Anurag & Shah, Narendra G., 2019. "Does the relationship between income and child health differ across income groups? Evidence from India," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 57-73.
    19. Seth R. Gitter & James Manley & Jill Bernstein & Paul Winters, 2022. "Do agricultural support and cash transfer programmes improve nutritional status?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(1), pages 203-235, January.
    20. repec:osf:socarx:uazj2_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. Julius Juma Okello & Yuan Zhou & Norman Kwikiriza & Sylvester Ochieng Ogutu & Ian Barker & Elmar Schulte-Geldermann & Elly Atieno & Justin Taj Ahmed, 2016. "Determinants of the Use of Certified Seed Potato among Smallholder Farmers: The Case of Potato Growers in Central and Eastern Kenya," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-12, October.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:9:y:2025:issue-5:p:24-31. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Dr. Pawan Verma (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.