This report is the result of a study conducted by the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS). Our aim is to explore the issues faced by Malaysian farmers in relation to the use of modern agricultural technology. Our ultimate concern is to find ways by which the livelihoods (and productivity) of Malaysian farmers can be improved.

The study combined research, expert interviews and a focus group with farmers. The methodology employed in the study is robust, although the sample size for the fieldwork is relatively small due to resource limitations. Additionally, we faced the same challenge that many other researchers face – the dearth of publicly available data and statistics on the Malaysian economy.